Marwell Zoo announces death of elderly snow leopard, Irina

Irina first arrived at the Hampshire zoo on January 18, 2010, as a two-year-old.

Despite an ongoing geriatric care programme for the elderly big cat, her health indicators unfortunately took a severe turn, prompting keepers to take the difficult decision of euthanisation.

Irina stalking (Image: Jason Brown)

Most of the leopard's life had been spent with her former mate Indeever.

The two had successfully raised four offspring; Kamala and Kadhir in 2011, followed by Animesh and Ajendra two years later.

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The zoo mourns the loss of Irina, especially coming hot on the heels of losing Bagai, a male Amur tiger, and Makeda, a female giraffe.

As a significant contributor to the snow leopard conservation, Irina held a special place in Marwell Zoo's story.

Laura Read, chief executive of Marwell Wildlife, said: "We do have, within a large variety of species, some aged animals at Marwell and our teams work really hard to make sure they have the best care into their senior years and beyond.

Irina arrived at Marwell when she was two-years-old (Image: Jason Brown Photography)

"Unfortunately, as a result, we’ve lost some notable and well-loved animals recently. I’m sure people will appreciate, this is a difficult time for everyone at the zoo, especially our animal and veterinary teams who work tirelessly to ensure our animals have the very best welfare possible."

READ MORE: Death of much-loved Amur tiger announced at Marwell Zoo

Listed as Vulnerable on the International Union of Conservation’s Red List, snow leopards are a species of concern globally.

Irina was both a mother and a grandmother, with 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren to her credit.

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Carrie Arnold, carnivores team leader, said: "Irina was a very playful snow leopard, always stalking her keepers and playing 'hide and seek' with us.

"She was incredibly strong willed and knew exactly what she wanted! She was a very affectionate and loved sitting up high watching the world go by.

"She will be sorely missed by her whole team."

The zoo mourns the loss of Irina (Image: Jason Brown)

The zoo reported that following her passing, Warjun, a young male who arrived last year, will now have access to the entire snow leopard habitat, including a freshly inaugurated extension.

Working hand in hand with the European Endangered Species Programme, Marwell Zoo plans to introduce a young female to the group, as a potential companion for Warjun.

The new addition is set to contribute to the zoo's long-standing relationship with the snow leopard breeding programme, specialising in the conservation of this vulnerable species.