October 23, 2020 marks the seventh International Snow Leopard Day. The day was established on October 23, 2013 at the World Snow Leopard Conservation Forum in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. The main goal of the International Snow Leopard Day is to draw public attention to the importance of preserving the unique species of animals on our planet.
Snow leopard (Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia) lives in the mountains of Central and South Asia. This unique animal is listed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as their numbers are declining catastrophically, and now the snow leopard is among the endangered species. The beautiful color and value of their fur led to the fact that the animals became the coveted prey of poachers. In addition, the expansion of pastures in the highlands leads to the fact that the natural habitat of snow leopards is narrowing.
According to the computer program for animal accounting ZIMS, today in the collections of 169 zoos that participate in this program, the total number of snow leopards is 431 individuals.
Our zoo has a pair of snow leopards. Female Tashi, who is already seven years old, was born on April 29, 2013 in Austria in the city of Salzburg, arrived at Mykolaiv Zoo on May 10, 2015. She is very inquisitive and contact, even likes to substitute her ear to stroke the staff during feeding.
Male Tiksi was born on May 28, 2017, came to our zoo from the French Zoological and Botanical Park Mulhouse on October 22, 2019. He is proud and independent. The animal was transferred under the International Snow Leopard Breeding Program in Europe.
In nature, the main prey of snow leopards are mountain ungulates. At the zoo, each snow leopard is given three kilograms of meat once a day. The menu of leopards includes beef, chicken and all kinds of offal (pork and chicken hearts and stomachs). And once a week they are given live food, and sometimes more often.
Interesting to know!!! Snow leopards in Mykolaiv Zoo are kept since the end of 60th years and till now. Fifteen leopards were kept during this whole period. In the entire history of keeping was the only case of reproduction. It happened on October 19, 2016…
Mykolaiv Zoo participates in the International program of conservation of this species.
So, we invite everyone to come for a walk to get acquainted with the snow leopards of our zoo.