Snow Leopards

 To far I'm afraid over 150 miles for me. Lai is around 115 miles away, and you can add another 100 and odd miles on top of that for you LW, its a shame

WS

Shame... Where is GR when he is needed most!?  

CC

Mmmmmmmm thanks for that WS. A bit far for me in a day  

Lai

How come a guy from Australia is my last hope?  

CC

I've just looked it up CC and Googled it for a time for driving and it's two hours away so definitely more of an option for the spring or summer for us. Also the whole area of the Lakes is beautiful and better in good weather.

Lai

That would be great, Lai!  

By the way, they have tigers, too.  

CC

Gosh if its 2hrs for you Lai it would be about 4 for me  , sadly I cant drive that long anymore, hopefully you and Pete may be able to have a nice trip in the summer and capture Eloisa and a Tiger or two  

littlewid-x-

There was a nice picture of Eloisa on Neunkircher Zoo's FB page; she looked relaxed and beautiful as ever.  

They told that she has already met young Sagar, even if through the fence. I hope they will make friends and that they will be able to share the enclosure like the males and females do sometimes at zoos. They are both so young that it would be great if they could play together like they have played with their families.

CC

Glad it looks as though she's settled CC. It would be lovely if they did get to join each other in one enclosure, and as they are so young it may be the best time to try, as their territorial instincts will not be as strong as if they were older

WS

Its great news to hear she is settled CC and it would be even better if she and Sagar do get on and lets hope that they can share an enclosure, as WS says, they are young enough to be introduced to each other with the hope of being together full time.

littlewid-x-

Ooooohhh!!

Helsinki Zoo told today on their FB page that also our sweet, lovely, adorable Eve has left us. So she is now in South Lakes Wild Animal Park!

It means that when I visited the zoo four weeks ago it was the last time I saw Eve. Luckily I have some (hundreds of) pictures of her, too! Here is one from my last visit:



I am planning my next visit for Sunday - let's hope that I will see Esha then.  

CC

Thanks CC beautiful photo of Eve, fingers x she will be happy at South Lakes, and we can soon see some little ones

WS

Thanks for updating up CC and for the lovely photo.

Lai

I visited Helsinki Zoo again last Sunday. The weather was cool and the sky was grey, and as soon as we got there, mist rose from the sea making the atmosphere even more sad and yearning. Lara was gone, and both Eloisa and Eve had left the zoo.

When we came to the snowies enclosures, they had just got their lunch. Esha was eating, and some birds were hanging around wanting to share the meal with her. Poor Esha had to watch out for them and try to keep them far from her meat chunk. She was so cute!  



However it was heartbraking to see Tara walking on the rocks and calling the other girls.  



Poor Tara!  



I know that she will soon forget it all, and I also know that the snow leopards are solitary in the wild, but still... Of course I was happy to see them, but this was the saddest visit to the zoo I ever made.

CC

  CC - that is sad indeed but as you rightly say they are solitary in the wild so poor Tara will I am sure soon settle into a new routine without them.

Perhaps next time you visit things will have changed.

Lai

CC that is sad, as you say they live a solitary life in the wild but they have all been so close and I suppose sometimes seeing them in captivity we forget that they will all be parted at some point, we just kind of hope they stay together forever but thats not how it works is it...........sadly  
I am sure Tara will be fine and settle down. Your pictures are stunning as always and I suppose some comfort is that you gotto see them grow and visited them many times, you have some wonderful, lifelong memories.

llittlewid-x-

Sorry CC just caught up with this. Tara does really look so sad  hopefully she'll recover soon, and get back to herself. Lovely pic of Esha.
However here's some new that will cheer you, and Tara up hopefully.

Good news for snow leopards
05/11/2013 10:32:32  
New global initiative established to preserve snow leopard habitat
Officials from 12 central and South Asian countries have made an historic pledge to protect snow leopards and their habitat in the high-mountain landscapes of Asia.
Government ministers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan all signed the declaration, agreeing to ‘intensify conservation efforts’ and ‘take firm action to stop poaching and illegal trade of snow leopards’, during the Global Snow Leopard Conservation Forum, which took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.

It is estimated that fewer than 7,500 snow leopards remain in the wild. The goal of the initiative is to protect the 20 snow leopard landscapes that have over 100 breeding adults by 2020 and promote sustainable development in the areas where the species live.
“By endorsing the Bishkek Declaration on Snow Leopard Conservation and the Global Snow Leopard Ecosystem Recovery Program range, countries are committing to scaling up joint snow leopard conservation efforts,” said Almazbek Atambayev, President of the Kyrgyz. “If we do not take decisive measures to protect the snow leopard today, we will forever lose this priceless animal.”

WS

Thank you for the news clip, WS! It is great to see that something is being done to protect the snow leopards.   

Now has also Esha left the Helsinki Zoo.
About four weeks ago I heard a rumour that she would be leaving within a few days, and of course I wanted to see her before that.

We went to the zoo on Sunday, and there she was - she was so cute and playful, and it felt like she was happy to see us. She played with us, running around and then stopping to see if we were looking. I was so happy to have a chance to say goodbye to her!!!

Three days later I saw pictures of her in her new home, La Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes in Paris, when she had just arrived there.

Here she is, one of the three cutest snowies ever:



This is one of my last pictures of Esha, not very good one, but I like it. She came so close to me that I could have touched her:



I have no words to tell how much these leopards have given to me.

Happy CC

  CC thanks for the updates and lovely photos, how great that you saw Esha before she moved to Paris. She really is a very beautiful snow leopard.

Lai

Really beautiful shots of Esha, and I bet after all this time going to see her, you will really be missing her, and from the look in those eye, you really get the feeling she will miss seeing you to. You do'nt need the words CC you photos say it all. So a parting gift from your favourite Snowy




WS

Thank you so much for the news on Esha Cremecat. Its good to know she is settled in her new home, that must give you some comfort. Your last picture of Esha is just so touching and WS is right, it looks as though she is missing you, she has such a whistful look about her, it really is a touching photo and WS' s framing of her is just perfect   

littlewid-x-

Thank you all, guys! And special thanks to WS for the lovely frame reward!!!  

We do not have a white Christmas here in Southern Finland, but I would like to wish you all

Happy Holidays

with this picture of Irbis and Jeti, which I took a couple of weeks ago at Ähtäri Zoo:



CC

 

  Cremecat, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Holidays, I hope you have a wonderful time. Also thank you so much for all you do to keep us all very happy with your postings of the Snow Leopards and all the other cats you have posted for us. We really do appreciate it and I know I am not the only one who so looks forward to your posts.........Thank you so very much   

That's a really Lovely picture of Irbis and Jeti, they couldn't have posed better could they   

Have a smashing Holidays cremecat   

littlewid-x-

HAPPY HOLIDAYS CC

Irbis and Jeti are stunning thanks CC, as LW says thanks for all the pics through the year your   . Have a great Holiday

WS