Rare leopard cub birth gives hope for species

The birth of a rare Arabian leopard cub has fueled hope for the survival of one of the world's most critically endangered animal species. 

It is thought that only 200 of the smallest member of the leopard family remain in the wild after centuries of habitat loss and human conflict. The female cub was born in April at the Arabian Leopard Breeding Center in Taif, Saudi Arabia.

The cub's gender identification and first health check took place in July, and her birth is now being revealed to the world. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says the species is an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild, where it is only believed to now exist in three countries, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Yemen.