Help name this baby snow leopard
Read time: 5 min
Sure, you've named your cats. The dog. And maybe even a kid or two. But... have you ever named a snow leopard? Because now's your chance.
Earlier this summer, the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay welcomed a baby snow leopard. (Proud parents Padme and Sumbe are longtime zoo residents.) He's the first cub to be born at the Zoo for a decade. And now it's time to give him a name.
The Welsh Mountain Zoo isn't leaving all the heavy lifting to the public. (No Boaty McBoatface repeats please.)
They've narrowed down the shortlist to four: Zephyr (meaning light/west wind); Tai Lung (meaning great dragon); Layan (which represents the Himalayas); or Qilian (which translates to sky/mountain range).
The shortlist is a tribute to the snow leopard's natural habitat: the mountain landscapes of China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Pakistan. Which 75% of the world's snow leopards call home.
Want to help pick this new arrival's name? Head to the Zoo's Instagram. Where you can vote by making a £1 donation to the Snow Leopard Trust.
Chris Mitchell, CEO at the Welsh Mountain Zoo, says: "The Welsh Mountain Zoo has a rich history with snow leopards and it's wonderful to welcome the arrival of this beautiful and special cub. the snow leopard is classed as vulnerable in the wild, and so breeding in managed Zoo settings in conjunction with the Zoo's annual commitment to support the Snow Leopard Trust is essential if we are to safeguard the future conservation of this amazing animal."
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Image courtesy Welsh Mountain Zoo.