Snow Leopard Arrives at Howletts Animal Park

Aspinall Foundation keepers are pleased to announce the arrival of Ziva, a rare female snow leopard who has arrived just in time for Christmas. This beautiful creature is to take part in the ongoing breeding programme at Howletts Wild Animal Park near Canterbury, though with the weather so balmy for this time of year, there’s a good chance this Snow Leopard may not see any snow!

Animal Director, Neil Spooner, said –

Ziva has joined us from Banham zoo where she was born as part of an ongoing breeding programme. She is settling in well and is a popular addition to the park. As part of our commitment to this breeding programme we hope to introduce Ziva to a male that has recently arrived with us from a wild animal park in France. If we are lucky they will produce cubs which in turn will go on to breed when they are old enough with leopards from different collections – this will help to ensure the survival of the species.

The snow leopards normally live in the high mountains of central Asia and are extremely elusive in the wild due to their amazing camouflage. Their pale coat turns a yellow grey in the summer, perfect for hiding in rocks, whilst in the winter their coat turns white to hide in the snow. A true chameleon!

The Howletts and Port Lympne park in Kent is already home to six snow leopards after several successful births. Here’s hoping that Ziva and her prospective mate can create the pitter patter of tiny paws in the not too distant future!