Animal News: snow leopard cubs, a new red panda, and a heatwave!
July 17, 2026
The summer season has arrived and, alongside the heatwave we’ll all be talking about for a while, it’s been a particularly memorable time for us here at Marwell. From the arrival of our first snow leopard cubs in more than a decade to award-winning achievements. Here’s at look at what’s been happening around the zoo…
A purr-fect pair
We’re sure you’ve seen by now but just in case – our female snow leopard, Zaya, gave birth to two cubs on 20 May.
This is a huge milestone, marking Zaya’s first litter and the first snow leopard cubs to be born at Marwell in more than a decade.
During their first few weeks, Zaya and her cubs remained in the safety of their indoor den while they bonded.
Since then, the cubs have continued to grow in confidence and recently took their first steps outside, exploring their outdoor habitat for the very first time under mum’s watchful eye.
The celebrations didn’t stop there! On 1 July, Zaya celebrated her third birthday – and we think it was her best one yet as a first-time mum. Head over to our Facebook to see how Zaya spent her day.
Did you know? We work with our partners in China, Bhutan, Kazakhstan and across Central Asia to help secure the future of snow leopards, so by visiting Zaya, Warjun (dad) and their cubs you are directly supporting snow leopards in the wild!
Meet Manu
Our white-faced saki monkey has officially been named! Born back in March, Manu is named after Manú National Park in Peru, one of the world’s most biodiverse places and home to his close relatives, the Equatorial and monk saki monkeys.
You can see Manu and the rest of our monkeys in ‘Life Among the Trees’.
Three new faces
There’s a new trio to meet near the Giraffe House! We’ve welcomed new species to the park, Chinese water deer, Po and Troy alongside Tao, new male red panda.
The three now share a mixed-species habitat designed to encourage natural behaviours and provide visitors with a fascinating opportunity to observe different species in the same space. It’s already proving a success, with the animals growing in confidence and showing plenty of interest in one another.
If you’re visiting soon, make sure you stop by – you may catch them exploring together!
Three’s our lucky number
We’ve got three more reasons to celebrate after being recognised with three honours at this year’s British and Irish Association for Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) Awards, often described as the “Oscars of the zoo world”.
- Winner – Behaviour & Welfare
Our Carnivore team won for their innovative serval vaccination training programme, enabling our servals to voluntarily receive vaccinations. - Runner-up – Behaviour & Welfare
Our Animal Nutrition team was recognised for its outstanding work developing species-specific diets that support the health and wellbeing of the animals in our care. - Runner-up – Habitats
Our Birds team received recognition for transforming the indoor walkthrough aviary, creating even more opportunities for natural behaviours.
Congratulations to all our teams on these fantastic achievements.
World Giraffe Day
To celebrate World Giraffe Day, our Hoofstock keepers Nicole and Rhi introduced visitors to our newest giraffe arrival, Ballycarry, and shared some fascinating facts about these gentle giants.
Fancy getting even closer? Why not book a Giraffe Experience, where you’ll spend time with our expert keepers, learn more about the herd and enjoy an unforgettable encounter.
Keeping cool
During June’s exceptionally hot weather, our animal care teams worked hard to help animals stay comfortable.
Many species naturally cope well with warmer temperatures and have access to shaded areas, fresh water and pools. For species that needed a little extra help, including our new snow leopard cubs, we had some great support.
A huge thank you goes to ICS Cool Energy, who kindly provided three air conditioning units at short notice, helping us keep temperature-sensitive species cool throughout the heatwave.
A conservation success decades in the making
Two Przewalski’s horses born here at Marwell, Shara and Togs, have successfully returned to the wild in their native Kazakhstan.
Their release forms part of an international conservation programme helping restore one of the world’s rarest horse species to its natural range after it was once declared Extinct in the Wild.
Przewalski’s horses have been part of Marwell’s story since we opened in 1972, making this an especially proud moment for everyone.
Meet Ripple our new capybara
We’re delighted to welcome Ripple, a male capybara who has joined us from Blackpool Zoo.
Ripple is currently being gradually introduced to our female capybara, Tango, in a private habitat, allowing them time to get to know each other at their own pace.
Once the introductions are complete, they’ll move into their new habitat at the front of the zoo, complete with a large pool and plenty of space to explore.
Providing Tango with appropriate companionship is an important part of her welfare, as capybaras are naturally highly social animals.
Our search for Samba continues, and her welfare remains a priority for our team. We continue to investigate credible sightings, monitor camera traps and follow up on reports from members of the public. For the latest updates, please check our Samba Update webpage and stay tuned to our social media channels.
A new home for our red river hogs
Our trio of red river hogs have officially moved into their newly refurbished habitat – and they’ve wasted no time making themselves at home!
From splashing around in their new pool to rooting, foraging and exploring every corner, they’ve been keeping everyone thoroughly entertained.
Their new home was officially opened by the Mayor of Winchester, Jamie Scott, when he visited the park recently.
Be sure to stop by on your next visit and see if you can catch them enjoying their new habitat.
Tiny arrivals continue
It hasn’t just been the bigger animals making headlines…
We’ve also welcomed white-clawed crayfish hatchlings in the Crayfish Breeding Centre, where they will continue to grow before being released into the wild.
There’s a new addition to our African wild ass herd, with Nobila giving birth to a male foal. Foals begin grazing within weeks of being born but remain dependent on their mother’s milk for approximately six months.
Plus, to continue another successful breeding season across the zoo, we’ve also welcomed three more silver-eared mesia chicks, after three were born in March, taking our total number of silver-eared mesia up to 12!
Saying goodbye
Alongside all the exciting news this summer, we also said goodbye to our much-loved member of the Marwell family, Pasha, our Amur tiger.
His loss has been deeply felt by everyone who cared for him, and we’d like to thank everyone for the many kind messages of support received following the announcement.
Coming soon…
Keep your eyes peeled for the launch of our #VoteWild campaign.
You’ll soon be able to vote for projects to support the animals you love while helping raise funds for new habitats and equipment that will make a real difference to our animals.
Stay connected
To keep up to date with all the latest arrivals, conservation successes and daily life at Marwell, make sure you’re following us on social media.
You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok. We can’t wait to share what happens next.
With all that excitement, you might think we’re due a quieter month – but you’d be wrong! July sees the start of Zoofest, season 2 of Marwell’s WildLife podcast, and we’ve got plenty more exciting animal news to share! Stay tuned…
