In May 2014, snow leopard twins Orya and Okara were born to mom Dshamilja and dad Villy at Switzerland’s Zoo Zürich. In August, above, the sisters were filmed frolicking, falling off of hillsides, gnawing on meat, and being groomed by their parents. In December, below, they were filmed exploring in the snow.
In the wild, snow leopards are elusive animals that live among the steep, rocky terrain of Central Asia’s remote mountain ranges. Their thick fur keeps them insulated from cold weather, and their long tails balance them out as they make huge leaps. Due to habitat/prey loss and human encounters, they are endangered, with an estimated population of 4,080-6,590 mature cats.
To see snow leopards hunting in the wild, check out episode two of Planet Earth, which has footage of them that took BBC film crews three years to get.
Related vids: Cougar vs Salmon and Cheetahs on the Edge—Director’s Cut.
h/t io9.
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