A zoo in the UK has welcomed two iconic snow leopards, the first time the furry felines have been at the establishment in its 93-year history.
The two snow leopards, male Yashin and female Nubra, are living in their new Himalayan Habitat. It’s been designed to recreate the rocky terrain of the Himalayan mountains the animals are accustomed to.
Made up of more than 600 tonnes of scree and rocks, it has two large outdoor areas, shallow cave retreats, rocky outcrops, ledges, and steep rugged cliffs.
Overhanging areas in the habitat will allow the snow leopards to mark their scent, vital in their day-to-day life. In the wild, upper surfaces are typically covered in snow and the big cats use the underside of a ledge to ensure the scent lasts longer.
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Yashin and Nubra will have access to air-cooled caves, which will provide shelter and a cool place for them to sit when the weather is warm outside. They replicate the climate of a high, mountainous habitat.
The two felines arrive from Europe, being matched up in connection with a conservation breeding program.
Snow leopards face a number of threats in the Himalayas and central Asia, from climate change, and habitat loss to poaching and retaliatory killings after human-wildlife conflict.
They have been nicknamed the ‘ghost of the mountains’ as sightings have become rare.
Chester Zoo says the pair have hit it off already and are hopeful they’ll have cubs in the future.
Director of animals and plants, Mike Jordan, said: “The arrival of snow leopards is a huge milestone in our zoo’s long history and signifies our commitment to protecting another of the world’s most threatened big cat species.”
“Yashin and Nubra are both just over 18 months old, so they’re incredibly playful, inquisitive and full of energy. They’re also both now at the age where they’d naturally start to leave their mother and become independent, which is why they’ve been paired up here at Chester Zoo as part of a European conservation breeding program, which is working to safeguard the species from becoming extinct.”
He added: “This incredible new habitat not only offers visitors spectacular viewing opportunities and a fascinating glimpse into the harsh, yet beautiful world that snow leopards inhabit.
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“It’ll also help conservationists here to learn more about the lives of these iconic cats, helping to further support global conservation efforts for the species.”
Regional field program manager for Asia, Mayukh Chatterjee, said: “The keeping of goats, chickens, sheep and cows is a major source of income for local communities living in Kyrgyzstan. Snow leopards can sometimes wander into communities in search of prey and kill farmers’ livestock, which often results in retaliatory persecution of the big cats.
“By working alongside these communities, we hope to safely build up their resilience to snow leopards while also helping them generate income through a range of other sustainable livelihood initiatives which are also ‘snow leopard friendly’.
“We’ve seen huge success with this in other areas of the world with communities in Bolivia that live alongside Andean bears, and villagers in India that live in close proximity to Asian elephants, and we’re confident we can similarly improve the co-existence between people and these highly threatened cats.
“We’re hopeful that these efforts in Kyrgyzstan, in conjunction with our conservation breeding efforts here at the zoo, will play a positive role in creating a future where snow leopards not only survive but go on to thrive.”
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