The Como Zoo is celebrating the birth of a snow leopard for the first time in 12 years, calling it part of a "significant, successful" breeding plan.
Alya, the 4-year old mother, gave birth to the cub on April 30, the first child for both she and the father, 6-year-old Moutig. Alya and the cub - whose gender is not yet known - will remain off exhibit until later in the summer, the zoo says, allowing them to bond in a quiet space.
More details and how they plan to name the Cub can be found HERE