Buffalo Zoo Welcomes Newest Big Cat!

Remember that the Zoo is open all year round here in Buffalo, so you can go and meet the latest addition to the Zoo this week!

The Buffalo Zoo’s newest big cat, a male snow leopard, is adjusting well to his new habitat at the Zoo. Altai, a one-year-old male snow leopard, comes to the Buffalo Zoo from the Akron Zoo where he was one of three born on March 5, 2016.

Named after the Altai Republic and Altai Mountain Range, he arrived in Buffalo in early October. After successful clearance of health quarantine, he began his introductions to his new habitat. He will share his habitat with the Zoo’s two-year-old female snow leopard, Sabrina.

The introduction of Altai to Sabrina is part of a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for snow leopards. There are an estimated 5,000 snow leopards left in the wild and approximately 600-700 in zoos around the world. For this reason, it is essential that zoos continue promoting and educating the public about conservation efforts in the wild!