The cub’s birth at the Thomas Belt Zoo in Juigalpa marks a milestone for the nation, as it marks the birth of Central America’s very first albino puma in captivity.
According to estimates from zoo veterinarian Carlos Molina, this rare cub is one of only four albino pumas known to exist worldwide.
While the cub appears healthy and is nourishing well, Molina issues a caution that it’s still early days, as albino pumas demand special care and are especially vulnerable to sunlight.
To ensure the well-being of the cub and her two beige-colored, spotted siblings, they are being housed in an enclosed cage.
This prevents the mother from becoming stressed and confusing human scents with those of her newborns, a situation that could lead to potential harm.
The male puma, the father, is being kept in a separate enclosure, a practice observed as male pumas have been documented to harm their offspring. As of now, the genders of the litter remain undisclosed.
Once these felines reach three months of age, the zoo intends to introduce them to the general public. Thomas Belt Zoo welcomes between 50,000 to 60,000 visitors annually, according to zoo management.
Pumas, known for their widespread presence across the Americas, range from the Andean regions of southern Peru to the jungles of Central America.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature underscores that pumas boast the most extensive geographical distribution of any land mammal in the Western hemisphere.
However, their presence in the eastern half of North America has dwindled significantly following the arrival of European settlers.
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