This morning the Snow Leopard enclosure was formally opened and a bunch of people got to see these amazingly beautiful sisters, Asha and Manju. I can’t describe how beautiful I found them…with their fur up to 5cm thick, tails that are very long, thick, and fluffy and can be wrapped around their bodies like a scarf, and great elegance. They are just so fluffy and cuddly looking…but not to be cuddled 🙂
Snow Leopards originate in Central Asian countries of China, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, however, these sisters were born in Australia as part of a programme aimed at preventing their extinction. There are less than 7000 Snow Leopards left, with poaching, loss of habitat, and climate change all negatively impacting them.
You may ask why zoos have animals. Wellington Zoo is one of the most renowned zoos in the world for its active climate change work, its work to preserve species, and the environment provided which is much like it would be in the wild. Without programmes such as this one, Snow Leopards are extremely vulnerable to extinction.
If you are keen to visit Wellington Zoo and see these beautiful girls, remember we have tickets for people from the communities we work alongside…thanks so much to Wellington Zoo for their generosity. Please get in touch to make a booking.
