Who’s New at the Zoo? Kazi the Snow Leopard

The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Zoo) is excited to announce the newest member of the Zoo family is Kazi the snow leopard.  

“We are very excited to bring this unique species back to Saskatoon,” says Jeff Mitchell, Zoo Manager. “Snow leopards are beautiful animals with many unique adaptations that help them thrive in cold weather conditions like we experience here in Saskatoon.” 

Snow leopards are well adapted for winter conditions as their fur keeps them well insulated in cold weather. They also have wide, fur-covered feet that act as natural snowshoes by helping to distribute their weight over soft snow. Snow leopards are also very agile, as their short forelimbs and long hind legs allow them to navigate steep and rugged terrain with ease. In addition, their fur also provides great camouflage making these elusive animals hard to spot in the wild.  

Preparations for Kazi’s arrival started in August with renovations to the previous cougar exhibit at the Nutrien Ark. In the coming days, Kazi will be introduced to his new home at the Nutrien Ark.  

The Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. visit saskatoon.ca/zoo to plan your next visit.