Adorable Snow Leopard Cub Takes First Steps Into New Home

An adorable female snow leopard cub born May 31, 2026, is beginning to explore her new home at the Bronx Zoo.

Born to parents Dari and Moutig, the cub is doing well after passing physical exams and receiving routine vaccinations. She can now be seen exploring the zoo’s Himalayan Highlands habitat, bringing the total number of snow leopards at the Bronx Zoo to eight.

Snow leopards are among the world’s most elusive big cats. Their spotted white-gray coats provide camouflage in rocky mountain habitats, while their large, padded feet act as natural snowshoes and their long, woolly tails provide warmth and balance.

The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 5,000–7,000 snow leopards remaining in the wild across Asia.

Their main threats include retaliatory killing by livestock herders, habitat degradation, declining prey species, poaching and illegal trade.

The Bronx Zoo was the first zoo in the United States to exhibit snow leopards in 1903 and has recorded more than 80 snow leopard births. It also participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan, a cooperative breeding program designed to enhance the species’ genetic viability.