Miller Park Zoo saying goodbye to female snow leopard

NORMAL (25News Now) - The Miller Park Zoo is saying goodbye to one of two of its snow leopards.

The zoo says Shree will be transferred this weekend to her new home at the Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary in Imlay, Nevada.

Shree and her brother Sage were born at the zoo in August 2020 with a congenital condition known as swimmer’s legs.

The zoo says this required the snow leopards to be sent for physiotherapy and treatment for a few months, where they improved and returned to Normal, continuing their therapy.

The congenital condition meant the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan remove the pair from reproductive consideration, meaning Shree was spayed.

The zoo says that as the pair grew into adults, animal care staff observed them growing less tolerant of one another and have been managed separately to avoid the risk of serious injuries.

This created challenges based on available habitats and holding spaces, leading the SSP to advise Shree’s transfer to Safe Haven, giving her her own space.

Sage will remain at the zoo, where they say “he enjoys stalking visitors and staff (especially the Zoo Director) from inside his habitat.”

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