Auction to name two Norfolk zoo cubs ends

Money raised from the auction will be donated to the Snow Leopard Trust

Two of three online auctions held by a Norfolk zoo for people to name snow leopard cubs has ended.

The male and two female cubs were born at Banham Zoo in May.

Zoo keepers could not choose a name so auctioned the naming rights on eBay to raise money for conservation charity the Snow Leopard Trust.

Bidding to name the male and one of the females finished on Friday night, with £505 paid to name the female and £511 for the male.

More than 60 bids were placed between the two of them.

Endangered species

The online auction for their sister is still open and will close on Sunday.

The chosen names, which have not yet been announced, will be registered with the international stud book for snow leopards, so will be a permanent record.

The person who submits the winning bid will also get the chance to see the cubs and their keepers at the zoo, a spokesman said.

The cubs will remain at the zoo for at least 18 months after which they will be mature enough to be transferred to other zoos within the European Breeding Programme.

Snow leopards are an endangered species and the zoo has been involved in the European Breeding Programme for this species for more than 25 years.