It’s Valentine’s Day and love is in the air 💕

Our two snow leopards Pemba and Jita have been introduced and we’re happy to say it was love at first sight! These two love leopards are now getting to know each other in the Eurasia habitat.

Pemba, a nine-year-old male, arrived in Toronto in late 2021 and became a guest favourite in our Eurasia Wilds living as a carefree bachelor. Your Toronto Zoo participates in the snow leopard Species Survival Plan® (SSP), a cooperative breeding program amongst AZA accredited North American facilities. In fall 2023 a suitable match for Pemba was identified: two-year-old female, Jita, who joined the Toronto Zoo family in late 2023 from our partners at Zoo de Granby. Since moving to Eurasia, guests may have noticed her habit of holding her tail in her mouth when she gets especially playful or excited.

Breeding introductions are planned very carefully Howdies allow the potential suitors to see, smell, and hear one another through a barrier, allowing them to get comfortable without the risk of violence. The Wildlife Care team watches carefully for behaviours such as rolling and rubbing to know when to put them together. Snow leopards (along with many other animals) have a sense we humans do not. Halfway between taste and smell, it is a secondary olfactory system that is very sensitive to pheromones, such as those found in a female snow leopard’s urine when she is ready to breed. It may not be flowers or perfume, but it is irresistible to a male snow leopard.

Within two weeks of moving to Eurasia, Jita seemed eager to be with Pemba, and it was clear the feeling was mutual. For these two snow leopards, it was love at first sight (or possibly smell)!

Through the SSP, we maintain a sustainable population of snow leopards in human care to preserve genetic diversity and serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. We hope the blossoming romance between Pemba and Jita will further these goals 💕

Through the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy Adopt an Animal program you can symbolically adopt a Toronto Zoo snow leopard. Funds raised from the Adopt an Animal program support the ongoing conservation and research efforts of your Toronto Zoo to save endangered species. #snowleopard #snowmance