Potential mate for leopard found on 'dating site'

Bosses at a Devon zoo are hopeful a rare leopard's arrival will result in a breeding programme for the species.

Dartmoor Zoo welcomed a female Amur leopard called Lena to the Sparkwell site on Wednesday as part of plans to get her to breed with another Amur leopard called Freddo.

Lena is heading to Dartmoor as she is believed to be an ideal breeding partner for Freddo, the zoo has said.

Her arrival from Colchester Zoo comes after Freddo was listed on the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), described as a "dating site for animals".

Mainly found in border areas between Russia, China and North Korea, Amur leopards are considered to be one of the world's rarest cats, with about 200 in captivity and 100 in the wild, Dartmoor Zoo said.

Lena - who has been described by her Colchester keepers as a "big personality" - was currently in an off-show enclosure at Dartmoor Zoo after arriving from Essex, a spokesperson said.

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They added Lena had come with a spices package containing her favourite scents which included Chinese five spice to help her adjust to new surroundings.

David Gibson, Dartmoor Zoo's chief executive, said Lena's arrival was part of the site's efforts with animal conservation.

"One of the many essential roles that modern zoos perform is the conservation breeding of critically endangered species such as Amur leopards," he said.

"We are delighted to be able to play our part in the continued conservation of this iconic and charismatic species."

Freddo arrived at Dartmoor Zoo in November 2023 with bosses at the site having the ambition of breeding more of the Amur species.

He was placed on ZIMS, run by US-based firm Species360, as part of plans to find a suitable mate for Freddo.

Zookeepers at Dartmoor said they would observe Lena and Freddo's interactions before embarking on the breeding programme.

Senior keeper Ashley Matthews said: "Introductions can often take a while, and this is not something we want to rush."

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