Welsh Mountain Zoo welcomes new female snow leopard to help protect the vulnerable species

  • Ian Lang reports from Colwyn Bay.

A zoo in North Wales has welcomed new female snow leopard Padme, as part of a breeding programme, helping to support the conservation of this vulnerable species.The 18-month-old big cat has arrived at Colwyn Bay's Welsh Mountain Zoo to join Sumbe, a male aged two and a half years old.Padme has made the trip from Highland Wildlife Park in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, where she was born into a litter of three cubs.

Padme's arrival at the zoo is part of a breeding programme, helping to support the conservation of this vulnerable species. Credit: Welsh Mountain Zoo

Zoo bosses hope the two will go on to have a litter of their own.The snow leopard is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list of threatened species, one category below endangered.

Its total population is estimated to be between 4,000-6,500, according to WWF.Peter Litherland, collections manager at the Welsh Mountain Zoo, said: “We have a history in caring for snow leopards here at the zoo and are keen for this to continue.

Zoo bosses hope Padme and Sumbe will have a litter of their own.

"We’re all incredibly excited about our new arrival. So far Padme is doing great, she is settling into her new surroundings well and is becoming familiar with her new companion,Sumbe.”In the wild, snow leopards have evolved to survive in some of the harshest conditions on earth.

Their habitat ranges across the mountainous regions of 12 countries across Asia: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

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