Two snow leopards arrive at Chester Zoo for the first time ahead of new habitat opening

Two snow leopards have arrived at Chester Zoo ahead of the opening of a huge new Himalayan habitat for the species.

It’s the first time in the conservation charity’s 93-year history that its carnivore experts have ever cared for the highly threatened big cats. Male Yashin and female Nubra live in the new immersive habitat which has been designed to recreate the rocky terrain of the Himalayan mountains.

They have been carefully matched up as part of an important conservation breeding programme and conservationists say they have "hit it off" straight away and are hopeful that they’ll go on to have cubs in the future. The snow leopards have been pictured for the first time ahead of their unveiling to the public on Monday, March 25.

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Mike Jordan, Director of Animals and Plants at the zoo, said: "The arrival of snow leopards is a huge milestone in our zoo’s long history and signifies our commitment to protecting another of the world’s most threatened big cat species. Yashin and Nubra are both just over 18 months old, so they’re incredibly playful, inquisitive and full of energy.

"They’re also both now at the age where they’d naturally start to leave their mother and become independent, which is why they’ve been paired up here at Chester Zoo as part of a European conservation breeding programme, which is working to safeguard the species from becoming extinct.

"Now that they’ve had some time to settle in and explore their new home here in Chester, the pair appear to have really hit it off and, in time, we’re hopeful that they’ll go on to have cubs together. This incredible new habitat not