A SMALL South Lakeland zoo has aided conservation efforts of the endangered snow leopard by helping to bring a new cub into the world.

The new arrival at Lakeland Wildlife Oasis in Hale is being slowly introduced to the zoo's team after being hidden away by protective mother Tara.

However, the little baby is brave and much to the delight of eagle-eyed visitors has already been seen leaving the den to enjoy the open air enclosure.

Next week the zoo vet is scheduled to weigh, sex, vaccinate and microchip the cub, which will then start moving onto solid food and daring to follow mum into the open enclosure each day.

Many of the endangered species at the zoo are part of European and international breeding programmes, and it works with other zoos across Europe to manage these animals and ensure that there are healthy captive populations of endangered species for years to come.

Zoo owner Jo Marsden said: “It will be an amazing summer for visitors - like our previous cubs, our new snow leopard cub will play an important part in the European breeding program (EEP), and will go to another zoo at some stage to help conserve the species. This is a great chance to see it grow and play over its first summer."

Jo explained that the cub was part of a planned breeding programme. In the future, animals on these programmes may be able to help repopulate countries that have lost all of their leopards.

"The idea is you are breeding leopards that are wanted not surplus," she said. "We are trying to maintain a captive population."

The zoo has also just welcomed a new manager to its team. Jack Williams did his first 'Keeper for the Day' experience at the zoo aged just 10-years-old.

Following on from that, he travelled from his home in Runcorn every weekend to volunteer and became a full time member of staff in 2014.

"It really is a dream come true," he said. "After growing up with the zoo, becoming manager gives me a great opportunity to manage and shape its future. With such good weather and so many new born babies, I couldn’t have had a more incredible start. I was told I’d got the manager’s job and just days later the baby snow leopard was born."