Briony is Devoted to Saving Big Cats from Extinction

 This heart-warming feature was published in My Weekly magazine in February 2020, reaching readers across the UK. 

Briony Smith has devoted her life to Making A Difference to the planet by saving endangered big cats  

Little Heroes, Koshi and Khumbu Melt Hearts and Bring Hope 

 

Two adorable snow leopard cubs have a big destiny. When they grow up they will help protect this vulnerable species.

 

Beautiful brothers, Khumbu and Koshi were born nine months ago at The Big Cat Sanctuary in the heart of the Kent countryside.

 

The cubs were born to fiercely protective mum, Laila and laid-back dad, Yarko after four years of desperately trying to breed from the precious pair. 

  

Head Keeper, Briony Smith, 35, explains that Laila and Yarko came to the sanctuary as part of the European Endangered Species Programme. Devoted keepers and staff were jubilant when Laila finally got pregnant last year. This is the first time snow leopard cubs have been bred at the sanctuary.

 

Pretty Boys

 

Their grey and cream fur with distinctive spots, thick tails that act as warm scarves around their sweet faces when sleeping, tiny fluffy ears and steely grey-blue eyes make the cubs irresistible pin-up boys and star attractions.

 

The Sanctuary ran a naming competition for the celebrity twins on social media and names were chosen based on their unique personalities.  

 

Khumbu, the name of a Himalayan glacier, suits the slower and quieter cub while Koshi, the name of a Himalayan river, suits his wild and active brother, who has grown into a fearless explorer. 

 

However from Day One Briony worried about the cherished pair.

Being mother-reared, rather than hand-reared, the keepers aimed for minimal human intervention and watched the birth on the camera set up in the cubbing den.   

 

A Ferocious Mum

 

“The first one was born at 7.15 am and the second came at 8.30 am on April 26, 2019. That was the beginning of intensive screen watching for me! It was tense and nerve-racking checking if Laila was feeding them, cleaning them and caring for them. 

“I had to make sure she was being a good mum because it was her first litter and she was learning. But she took to mothering really well.

 

 “Laila had an amazing way of parcelling them up close to her belly. She would curl up in a ball with her back leg and tail over the top of the cubs so there was no way I could see them!

 

“It was funny. For a long time she thought she was keeping a secret! She seemed to think we didn't know about her cubs!” 

 

“Each newborn cub was tiny, weighing about 500 grams – just one pound.

 

“Before giving birth she was a placid, sociable cat but Laila quickly developed ferocious maternal instincts and for days didn't want to leave them, even to drink or eat. 

 

“We didn't want to go blazing in and disturb the mother and cub bonding. So we made observations from a distance with the camera and could see the cubs were feeding well and thriving.”

 

Growing Up

 

 Khumbu and Koshi were weaned at nine weeks and given solid food and started wandering and exploring in different directions. 

 

“When one cub tried to get out the den, she’d gently drag him back, then the other one would try to climb out, and she would drag him back. They were a mischievous tag team keeping mum busy!” laughs Briony. 

 

“We introduced a range of toys and they discovered each other as playmates and would wrestle and play together.

 

“Yarko got to know the boys at about five months. At first he was confused and clueless with these bolshie little cubs jumping all over him. But he was a tolerant dad!”

 

In the Wild

 

While some species of big cats can breed every few weeks, snow leopards are seasonal breeders due to living in an extremely cold environment. Females have just one litter in spring, after a gestation of about 90 days, when there is plenty of food to feed her cubs.

 

Snow leopards live in mountainous terrain at high altitudes in the Himalayas spanning nine countries in Central Asia.

 

Solitary hunters, they are shy and elusive, with superb camouflage against rocks and snow. Cubs leave their mother about the age of two to find their own territories. 

 

These beautiful leopards were tragically on the Endangered Species list with the population reduced to 4000 to 7000 in the wild. However thanks to global efforts to protect them, they have recently moved to the ‘vulnerable’ category. 

 

Snow leopards have been victims of the fur trade and killed by local herdsmen protecting livestock. Briony says: “In protecting snow leopards it’s also important to safeguard the livelihood of local people.” 

 

A Passion for Big Cats

 

Briony has been working as a keeper at the sanctuary for 15 years, having known since she was child smitten with The Lion King movie that she wanted to devote her life to caring for big cats. After studying and working in film and television, such was her passion, she volunteered at the sanctuary for six years and was then employed on staff and is now Head Keeper. 

 

“The site has developed incredibly in the time I’ve been here with the number of cats and our ability to excel and spread the message about protecting these endangered species.”

 

Reflecting on her nerve-racking journey with the snow leopards, she says: “At first I felt absolute terror being responsible for these precious little cubs. 

I was constantly worried for the first weeks to make sure they were safe and well and active. I had great support and reassurance from Giles.   

 

“Now they are nine months old we can relax. All the keepers feel deep affection and bonded to the cubs but they of course are more bonded to their mum because she reared them. But just like in the wild, the boys will be ready to leave mum at about two.” 

 

The Future 

 

Little Khumbu and Koshi have a lofty destiny. They will go to other breeding facilities to meet females to boost the numbers of snow leopards and give Laila and Yarko some grandbabies. 

 

Says Briony: “These little heroes are going off to save the world. In the big picture of breeding programmes around the world we see some endangered animals released into the wild while others are kept in captivity to safeguard species from extinction.”

 

And preventing extinction is the most important work of all.  

 

 

Fact Box

 

Adopt the Snow Leopard Cubs

 

You can adopt Khumbu and Koshi for only £95. The sponsorship includes a visit to the sanctuary for a delightful Adopters’ Afternoon, bringing up to four guests, to meet the cubs. 

 

15 per cent of this donation goes to the Snow Leopard Trust.

 

 

About The Big Cat Sanctuary

 

Founded in 2000 by Pete Sampson, The Big Cat Sanctuary is dedicated to providing a future for endangered cats through welfare, breeding, education and conservation. 

 

The immaculate 32-acre site is home to over 50 cats of 15 species, including African Lions, Sumatran Tigers, Jaguars and Amur Leopards.

 

Big cat expert, Giles Clark is well known through the popular TV series Tigers About The House and Big Cats About the House starring Maya, the black jaguar and Willow, the cheetah cub.  

 

The sanctuary holds Open Days in July and enthusiasts can also do Big Cat Encounters, Photographic Workshops and Overnight Safaris. 

 

Visit www.thebigcatsanctuary.org