SOUTH AFRICA: A first for South Africa as North American puma cubs are born in captivity

Record ID: 455398

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: A first for South Africa as North American puma cubs are born in captivity
  • Date: 20th December 2008
  • Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (DECEMBER 19, 2008) (REUTERS) ADULT PUMAS INSIDE CAGE AT LORI PARK ANIMAL SANCTUARY PEOPLE WATCHING VARIOUS OF PUMA CUBS LORY PARK OFFICIAL FEEDING CUB CUB BEING FED CUBS' MOM WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) LORI PARK ANIMAL SANCTUARY OFFICIAL MATTY MUNTINGH SAYING: "We've been very fortunate to have bred the first Northern pumas in captivity, there aren't many other places that have successfully bred them, so, we are ecstatic, we are very happy, everything went well, so we look to a good future with pumas." MORE OF THE CUBS (SOUNDBITE) (English) LORI PARK ANIMAL SANCTUARY OFFICIAL MATTY MUNTINGH SAYING: "The colour of the cubs probably have something to do with camouflage in the wild, probably to protect them so that they blend in with the vegetation and between four to six months they start losing their spots and they start getting their normal adult colorisation." VARIOUS OF ADULT PUMAS INSIDE CAGE
  • Embargoed: 4th January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Nature / Environment
  • Reuters ID: LVA5J2USATGFCTXDKABIV3YKXX40
  • Story Text: South Africa can now boast its own brood of North American pumas, the first to be born in captivity in the country.
    The two female puma cubs that were born at the Lory Park Animal and Owl Sanctuary in Johannesburg five weeks ago are the first to be born in captivity in South Africa.

    "We've been very fortunate to have bred the first Northern pumas in captivity, there aren't many other places that have successfully bred them, so, we are ecstatic, we are very happy, everything went well, so we look to a good future with pumas." said Lori Park animal sanctuary official Matty Muntingh.
    The cubs have been shown to the public since Tuesday (December 16th).
    The cubs' 4-year-old mother did not take care of them when they were born, so because they didn't get the essential nutrients found in the mother's milk, they're susceptible to infections. The cubs are now fed formula carnivore milk every two hours during the day and every three hours at night.
    The cubs's black spots, which are a natural camouflage, will be gone by the time they are six months old.

    "The colour of the cubs probably have something to do with camouflage in the wild, probably to protect them so that they blend in with the vegetation and between four to six months they start losing their spots and they start getting their normal adult colorisation," said Muntingh.
    In their natural habitat, pumas are often hunted because of the danger they pose to livestock.
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