By Neil Doyle
BLOOMINGTON – Miller Park Zoo is welcoming five Pallas’ cat kittens.
The local zoo has never had a breeding pair of Pallas’ cats until this pair was introduced in December. The male was imported from the Czech Republic.
“Being able to announce the birth on International Pallas’ Cat days is extra special,” said Director Jay Tetzloff in a statement. “Births, like this one, are so important for our conservation mission and vital for the Pallas’ cat to have long term success.”
Tetzloff added that breeding programs are an important part of the Miller Park Zoo mission, and play a vital part in the conservation goal of Species Survival Plan (SSP). One of the primary challenges facing captive breeding programs is maintaining genetic diversity. Breeding is carefully managed to ensure as much genetic variation as possible. Importing animals gives the population a new line of genetics.
The Pallas’ cat, also called manul, is a small cat located in the grasslands and montane steppes of Central Asia, where it inhabits elevations over 3 miles in the Tibeatan Plateau. It has been affected by habitat destruction, loss of natural prey and hunting. It has been listed as Near Threatened since 2002.
The Pallas’ Cat exhibit is located across from the North American River Otter exhibit.
Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]
