Highland Wildlife Park has announced the “sad” death of one of its snow leopards.
On Tuesday morning, the safari park and zoo near Kingussie revealed that female snow leopard Animesh had passed away. At 11 years old, she was the oldest of the three snow leopards at the park.
According to staff, the cause of death has not been determined. However, they stated that they “hope to know more soon”.
Animesh was born in 2013 and arrived at Highland Wildlife Park in 2020 from Marwell Zoo in England. Her and fellow snow leopard Koshi became parents in May 2022, with Koshi and two-year-old Maya still at the park.
Taking to Facebook to share the news, Highland Wildlife Park wrote: “We are sad to share the loss of Animesh, our eldest female snow leopard.
“At 11 years old, Animesh had welcomed six cubs since she arrived here at the park in 2015. Most recently, she welcomed cubs Yashin, Padme and Maya with her mate Koshi in 2022.
“Yashin and Padme have since moved to other zoos, but Maya and Koshi can still be seen here at the park. They are doing well and our keepers will continue to monitor them closely during this time.
“Our wildlife conservation charity’s teams are still trying to establish a cause of death but we hope to know more soon. Animesh was a much-loved favourite among staff and visitors, and she will be very sadly missed.”
Since being shared on Tuesday morning, the post has received more than 700 comments. With more than 60 comments, visitors and fans of the safari park were quick to offer their condolences.
One Facebook user wrote: “Sorry to hear this news, we loved seeing her, she was beautiful. Thoughts are with her keepers.”
A second shared: “Sorry for your loss, we saw her in June when we visited the park. She’s beautiful, may she rest in peace.”
Another echoed: “The unexpected death of such a beloved animal must be hard on the staff. She will be missed.”
More information can be found on the Highland Wildlife Park website.
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