Leopard cub makes first public appearance at Santa Barbara Zoo

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- A three-month-old Amur leopard cub makes its public debut at the Santa Barbara Zoo on Thursday morning.

Marta, the newest member of the Santa Barbara Zoo, entered her outdoor habitat for the first time this week.

Marta will spend the next seven to 10 days getting comfortable in her new setting.

Zoo caretakers will slowly increase her time in front of the public with her mom, Ajax, nearby.

Zookeepers expect Marta and Ajax to be more visible closer to the second weekend of November.

Guests will most likely see Marta and Ajax in the mornings until 1 p.m. Kasha, Marta's dad, will then move into the space in the afternoon. Zookeepers say while Marta gets more accustomed to her habitat, she will be in the public view or hiding in her den.

Marta is the first Amur leopard to be born at the Santa Barbara Zoo in more than 20 years.

Ajax, her mother, is the most genetically valuable female Amur leopard in North America.

The zoo says her cub, Marta, will contribute valuable genetics to the Amur leopard population in human care.

Amur leopards are the most endangered of all the big cats with less than 100 remaining in the wild.