Debrecen, Hungary - A seven-week-old
leopard cat born in a Hungarian zoo was allowed out for the
first time on Friday to enjoy the spring sunshine but he will
have to wait a while before he can meet visitors due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
The leopard cat is a small wild cat which owes its name to
the spotted coat it shares with its much bigger cousin. Found in
southeast Asia, Nepal and China, it feeds mostly on small
rodents and is roughly the size of the domestic cat.
The Debrecen Zoo in eastern Hungary joined a leopard cat
breeding programme in 2017 which aims to raise the number of
leopard cats in European zoos from 15 to 50.
The zoo, which has 150 000 visitors per year, had to close
on March 17 as Hungary imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain
the spread of the novel coronavirus. It is now selling tickets
online in advance, valid for a year, to survive the crisis.
The revenues will help feed the animals as the zoo now has
enough feed for only two months.
The tiny leopard cat does not have a name yet and the zoo
has asked visitors online to suggest names.
Debrecen Zoo director Sandor Gergely Nagy said some of the
animals may be missing their visitors as much as the public
misses seeing them.
"I think not only us but also the animals feel that our life
has changed," he said. "There are species, especially mammals
such as monkeys, which show they are missing the visitors...
They need more care and attention from their carers now."