SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah’s Hogle Zoo is welcoming some new friends to the community — snow leopard cubs.
“Storm warning: snow in September!” the zoo posted on social media. “Expect floof with a shower of cuteness.”
Pavlova (female) and Bhutan (male) have begun exploring their outdoor habitat in the “Asian Highlands” section, zoo officials said. The new cats have reportedly already gone through three veterinary exams, and have had the chance to spend some time together behind the scene.
The time spent is important for bonding with each other and with their care team, according to the zoo. But now, they are settling into their new habitat! And if you are going to the zoo, you might just be able to sneak a peek of these beautiful animals.
However, keep in mind that they are still settling in, and they have access to indoor spaces that they may choose to stay in as they get comfortable.
Snow leopards have evolved to live in some of the harshest conditions on Earth, according to the World Wildlife Fund. They have a thick, white-gray coat spotted with large black rosettes, allowing them to blend in with Asia’s steep, rocky mountains. Due to their remarkable camouflage, they are sometimes called the “ghost of the mountains.”
The snow leopard’s habitat range reportedly extends across the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. They have recently become an important marker of climate change in mountain environments, according to the WWF.
“If snow leopards thrive, so will countless other species and the largest freshwater reservoirs of the planet,” the WWF website states.
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