"We are very excited to welcome Koshi into our care and for visitors to meet him too." Keith Gilchrist, Highland Wildlife Park.

RZSS celebrates move as part of International Breeding Programme

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has welcomed a male snow leopard at Highland Wildlife Park, near Aviemore, after the park sadly lost its previous male, Chan, in September.

The new arrival, Koshi, was born at the Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford in 2019. Staff hope that he and the park’s current female, Animesh, will have cubs together in the future.

Keith Gilchrist, animal collection manager at Highland Wildlife Park said: “We are very excited to welcome Koshi into our care and for visitors to meet him too.

“For the first few weeks, he’ll be kept separated from Animesh as he settles in and then we will slowly begin introductions.”

Staff at the Big Cat Sanctuary said that Koshi held a special place in the sanctuary’s history, as he and his brother Khumbu were the first ever snow leopards born at the park.

Head keeper at The Big Cat Sanctuary Briony Smith said: “It’s been a real privilege to watch [Koshi] grow into a gentle, friendly and loving cat and as much as we will miss him, we know he is in safe hands. We will be proud to see him play an active part in the International Breeding Programme to help protect his species.”

Animesh’s cubs, Leannain and Stardust were also moved to the Northumberland Zoo this week as part of the International Breeding Programme.

Mr Gilchrist added: “With under 3,500 snow leopards remaining in the wild, it is important that cats like Koshi are given the opportunity to father cubs, ensuring genetic diversity and ultimately safeguarding the future of the species.”

Image (c) RZSS.