Rare snow leopard gets Zurich zoo 'date'

Chris has boosted visitor numbers at the Lake District attraction

A rare snow leopard has travelled from a Lake District zoo to Switzerland to meet a prospective partner.

Chris was born at Lakeland Wildlife Oasis near Milnthorpe in May 2018 and was named following a competition involving visiting children.

He travelled by road and ferry to Zurich where it is hoped he will breed with a female at the city's zoo.

Snow leopards are on the red list of most at-risk animals, with fewer than 8,000 estimated remaining in the wild.

Lakeland Wildlife Oasis joined the European snow leopard breeding programme in 2011 and since then its resident pair - Tara and Pavan - has produced three cubs.

The other two cubs are now in collections in Poland and Italy and have become a successful part of the breeding programme.

Chris was crated up for the journey in a van and on a ferry

Lakeland Wildlife Oasis manager Jack Williams said he had a "special bond" with the third cub Chris as he was born the weekend he became zoo manager.

"Over the past 18 months or so he's resulted in thousands of visitors flocking to see him," he said.

"It's quite sad, he'll be really missed, but we've still got mum and dad.

"He was very popular, but we've now brought in a pair of hairy armadillos which are less big and showy, but visitors have gone mad for them.

"It just goes to show, people like cute things, and hopefully soon there will be more babies to see."

Chris was the third cub to be born at the zoo

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