Meet Chimeeguy

Chimeeguy, A Snow Leopard Baby

Continuing our tour of the Hogle Zoo (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) cats, we have the beautiful Snow Leopard.  This cutie pie (above) is Chimeeguy (Chim-AY-gwee), the newest snow leopard at the zoo.  He was just 4 months old when these photos were taken about a month ago.  He had just been put out for public view that week and was still getting used to life "on the outside"!

Let me outta here!

Look who is being all ferocious!  I love it.  But those huge paws are a good indication that this little guy (above) is going to be a big guy, like his daddy, although the snow leopard is considered only a moderately large cat.

These cats are native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia.  They are also on the endangered list, being close to extinction.

The name is Bond, James Bond... I mean Chim!

I love that face.  What a great face.  Chimeeguy, or Chim for short, is a funny little guy.  He looks as interested in the humans taking the photos as the humans are curious about him.

This is Chimeeguy's mom, Nema

Nema is a class act.  She is 14 years old.  She is absolutely beautiful, don't you think?  Chim is her second cub in three years.  Chim's older sibling Himal was born in 2009 and now has a happy home in the Denver Zoo.

Nema, like most all cats, is a great mom.

If this weird stuff wasn't in the way, I think I'd like to eat you.
You appear to be made of meat and look yummy.

Being a cat, Chim is just checking out the habitat

Chim was enjoying showing off for the camera and all the people.  Like most cats, and small children, he gets a kick out of all the attention.  My good friend Meldee writes:

He climbs and slides down the logs in front to show he can do it. He then comes right up to the fence where all the people are ooohing and awwwwing.  No fear there!

Then, it's back up onto the ledge to play with mom for a while... play with the vines hanging over the ledge, take a quick nap and pose cute for the cameras.

Oh, the life of a little leopard!

I am an ATTACK cat!

Hmmm.... what's this?

How do I get down from here?

Cowabunga!
Would not want to see this coming at me... even though he's only 4 months old!

Sleepy now... Time for a nap...  Bye.

Meldee writes, "The Snow Leopard Trust has a terrific program to help the native people NOT kill the snow leopards.  It's a win/win idea!"

To find out more about these magnificent creatures, and what you can do to help preserve them, visit them at www.snowleopard.org!

If you live in California, you can also go visit the snow leopards at the San Diego Zoo.

Thanks, Meldee and Don, for sharing your great photos of these magnificent beasts.  It was fun getting to meet Chim and his mom.