A new furry resident has arrived at the Bronx Zoo.
A female snow leopard cub born earlier this year is now freely roaming the zoo’s Himalayan Highlands habitat, the Wildlife Conservation Society said in a news release.
The cub, named Sarka — which means “shark” in Nepali — was born May 31 to parents Dari and Moutig, and is “doing well after passing her physical exams and routine vaccinations,” the group said.
Eight snow leopards, including Sarka, now call the zoo their home, according to the release.
“Snow leopards are one of the world’s most elusive big cats,” WCS said. Their white-gray spotted coats help camouflage them in rocky mountain environments, while their padded paws act as “natural snowshoes,” according to the group.
Their long, woolly tails, meanwhile, “provide warmth and balance as they navigate steep terrain.”
The cats are native to the high-altitude mountains of the Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau in Asia, the release said.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, snow leopards are listed as “Vulnerable,” with only around 5,000 to 7,000 remaining in the wild in Asia.
The Bronx Zoo has a long history of helping to protect the species, and was the first zoo in the United States to exhibit the big cats in 1903, WCS said. It has since recorded more than 80 snow leopard births.
Visitors can see Sarka at the zoo’s Himalayan Highlands habitat, which features animals that are typically found in Central Asia’s mountains and grasslands, including red pandas and white-naped cranes.
Her debut comes during the Bronx Zoo’s annual “Boo at the Zoo” fall festivities, which began Sept. 26.