Rescued from an intense human-wildlife conflict in Pimpri Pendhar village, Junnar, Maharashtra, Greta, a 7-year-old leopard, immediately captivated our team with her spirited and energetic nature. Soon after her arrival at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre (MLRC), our veterinarians made an unexpected discovery — Greta was pregnant. It was in July of 2024, under the soft light of a thin waxing crescent moon, when two tiny cubs entered the world.
Their birth made for a delightful surprise for our team the next morning. Initially, when Greta was brought to the centre and her overall medical examination was done, the pregnancy was still at an early stage and hence, could not be detected. After a few weeks, during a regular physical check-up, the presence of the cubs were highlighted in the womb. Like all leopard cubs, the two — one a female and the other a male — were born completely blind. Named Disney and Flash, the infants were fortunately under the watchful care of their mother Greta from day one. As they were growing up, she taught them how to camouflage among the foliage and how to climb, along with important skills of stalking and moving with silence that defines her kind. The infants learned to rely on the scents and sounds of the rescue centre. This is how they have found serene safety in their wild-like home.
As Greta brought up her cubs, our adept veterinarians understood the need to give her space and time with them. Keeping this in mind, they conducted health check-ups for the two every 15 days. This included monitoring their weight, which gave an insight into their progressing physical development. After the birth, mother Greta was supplied with multivitamin supplements to replenish nutrients and support tissue repair.
As leopard cubs depend on their mother to learn vital skills, it was decided that the family would remain together under our care. The three share their living space, and Greta continues playing an active role in raising her young ones, showing just how fiercely protective and nurturing she is.
This year, the twins turn two! As Disney and Flash grow into their own, the difference in their personalities has become quite clear. While Disney is quiet and observant, Flash lives up to his name by being quick and mischievous. Their traits are especially noticeable during mealtimes. Unlike Disney who likes to savour each bite, Flash is fast when it comes to grabbing his food and eating it. Because of this, Disney and Greta are served their meals away from Flash so that each can eat at their own pace.
Their living space is designed to help with their welfare. It consists of lush green trees, and various enrichments that have been designed to bring out their innate behaviours. Young Disney and Flash are highly playful when it comes to interacting with these objects.
In what can be called a reflective personality, Disney likes to spend time sitting on a wooden log, attentively observing her surroundings. We have observed it is not only that she wants to know everything that goes on around her, but also that she needs to keep an eye out for her brother. Our best guess is that she wants to make sure Flash does not get himself into too much trouble! To take a break from all her scrutiny, Disney goes and sits inside a tunnel structure present inside their enclosure during the day, away from Flash’s continuous chaos and commotion.
The tunnel has been constructed for Greta, Flash and Disney so they can move between their day and night enclosures. The leopards come into the night enclosure soon after the sun sets, and here, they groom themselves, bringing out their natural behaviour. Another purpose this passageway serves is that it helps the leopards remain cool, away from the scorching sun or the rains.
Like true siblings, the twins go through phases in a single day when they either ignore each other’s presence or become so involved with one another that they end up bugging each other. When Disney and Flash are feeling frisky, they are observed playfully sparring with each other. They make sure their energy is felt throughout their enclosure. When the two are more calm, they can either be seen taking a walk together or basking in sibling solidarity, as if catching up on what they have missed observing.
Disney and Flash have been growing by the day, and have now reached sub-adulthood. To sustain their growth, they have been given their annual anti-rabies and tricat trio vaccination to prevent life threatening diseases such as respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. All leopards under our care are provided with liver tonics and kidney supplements. The siblings have also been provided with the same to support their overall health and fitness.
Though the two arrived quite unexpectedly, Disney and Flash have become one of the most beloved residents of MLRC. Their confidence and sense of security has developed in a well-managed environment, where they bring about a never-ending sense of wonder and curiosity. In these young and formative years, they continue to thrive under the attentive care of their feline mother, and their human caregiving team.
From all of us at Wildlife SOS, Happy 2nd Birthday, Disney and Flash! We wish them good health and endless energy.
You can support the care of leopards by making a donation to our Leopard Conservation Programme.
Feature Image: Akash Dolas/Wildlife SOS
