CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, Oct. 25, 2026 — The Cape May County Park and Zoo has two new snow leopards, Asha and Valens, the zoo announced Friday, International Snow Leopard Day.
Asha, a 1-year-old female, came from the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Valens, a 7-year-old male, came from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The two have been recommended as a future breeding pair through the Species Survival Plan, a cooperative program among accredited zoos that works to keep populations of threatened and endangered species healthy and genetically diverse, the zoo says. Fewer than 10,000 snow leopards are estimated to remain in the wild, according to the zoo.
Asha is on view to visitors now, with temporary barriers in place to give her time and space to adjust to her new habitat. Valens is settling into a habitat that guests can't see yet.
The zoo is at 707 Route 9 North in Cape May Court House.
Source: Cape May County Park and Zoo.