ST. PAUL, Minn. - Two young snow leopards have moved across the globe to their new home at Como Zoo.
Moutig, a 3-year-old male from France, has already made his public debut at the zoo, playing on the rocks and vocalizing at the neighboring lions. Alye, a 2-year-old female from Germany, is expected to appear outside later this spring, according to the zoo.
“What’s going to be fun about this particular pair of cats is that they’re so young and playful,” says Como Zoo senior keeper Jo Kelly. “Moutig especially is a very curious cat -- visitors are going to love watching him leap.”
The pair could have kits as early as 2018.
Como was chosen to receive the breeding pair of cats after a rigorous selection process. The zoo says Minnesota's cold climate was a draw, as was the zoo's history of raising and breeding the endangered cats since 1957.
Snow leopards are reclusive in the wild, and live in mountain ranges in Afghanistan, China and Mongolia. There may be as few as 3,900 left in the wild, according to the Snow Leopard Trust.
