The Stork has landed in Mondo Verde near the Panther enclosure

On Thursday, June 8, 2023, the Mondo Verde Animal Care Department came with joyous news. The only Black Panther couple in the Netherlands has given birth to two black cubs. Both mother and cubs are doing well.

A year ago, the Black Panthers moved into Mondo Verde’s new enclosure. Because of the natural design of the enclosure, the Black Panthers regard the enclosure as their own territory. Thanks in part to the natural layout (the enclosure) and the social behavior of the Black Panthers, they have begun to reproduce. The cubs are mother Reeva’s first cubs. The sex of the cubs is also already known: they are two males.

The cubs are currently still staying in the indoor enclosure (with a whelping box) together with the mother. The mother is also still enjoying the outside enclosure, but the cubs are currently still in the inside enclosure. In the future, the cubs will also explore the outdoor enclosure with mother Reeva.

In the wild, Black Panthers live solitary lives. For this reason, Mondo Verde has moved the father Kumar to a separate enclosure, preventing him from having direct contact with the mother and the cubs. The father does not help raise the cubs. This closely matches the natural behavior found in Black Panthers in the wild.

The Black Panther is found in the wild in Asian and African areas with dense jungles and high altitude forests. The Black Panther is not endangered, but because of its different coloration, it is rarely found in the wild. For this reason, it is important that zoos are able to preserve this beautiful species. Mother Reeva comes from a zoo in France, and father Kumar comes from a zoo in the Czech Republic. The mother and father are genetically unrelated, making the bloodlines of these Black Panthers a good match.