AKRON, Ohio — A new snow leopard will soon make her public debut at the Akron Zoo.
The 1-year-old leopard named Milja arrived Akron from the Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin. Milja’s addition comes after the passing of the zoo’s female snow leopard, Shanti, back in December.
“This move is based on recommendations from the Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan (SSP), a scientifically managed breeding program that works to ensure a healthy, genetically diverse population of snow leopards,” Akron Zoo officials said in a press release Tuesday morning. “Milja and the zoo’s male snow leopard, Tai Lung, will have a breeding recommendation in the future.”
Tai Lung is currently in the snow leopard habitat daily. Once Milja makes her debut this spring, the duo will alternate days in the habitat as snow leopards are solitary animals.
“Her care team describes her as very sassy and feisty,” Akron Zoo officials added. “She is talkative and always has to get in the last word.”
She was born with a congenital eye condition known as multiple ocular colobomas in her right eye.
“Colobomas, which are relatively common in snow leopards, can cause abnormalities to parts of the eye, varying in severity and can include the eyelids, iris and optic nerves,” zoo officials explain. “Milja specifically has colobomas in her iris, causing her to be sensitive to light.”
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Editor's note: Video in the player above was originally published in an unrelated Cleveland Zoo article on Feb. 17, 2022.
