Hello, Juniper: You can now see John Ball Zoo’s snow leopard cub

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — John Ball Zoo’s baby pygmy hippo, Hugo, has been getting plenty of attention lately — but he’s not the only youngster at the zoo.

Visitors can now meet Juniper, John Ball Zoo’s three-month-old snow leopard cub, the zoo announced Thursday. This is the first opportunity for guests to see her.

“Juniper is pretty spicy. So she loves to play with mom, she loves to bite and bat at mom and try to initiate a lot of play. … She’s a super spicy little lady and it’s really fun to see her personality grow,” said Val Price, a zookeeper who works with the snow leopards.

Zookeepers started introducing the cub to the outdoor section of her habitat earlier this week. She and her mom, Yuki, are now getting used to the space — and the visitors that come with it.

“She’s doing super well. She does hide a lot, so that’s been a little challenging, we’re out here trying to help people see her and point her out. But everyone’s super excited to see her, she’s super cute,” Price said.

Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)
Juniper the snow leopard at John Ball Zoo. (Courtesy John Ball Zoo)

Juniper was born at the end of July to Yuki and Mylo. She was named after the juniper trees in the Himalayas.

The cub stayed behind the scenes for months, growing stronger and bonding with her mother.

“It is her third day out. She has been inside with mom for since she’s been born so she’s exploring the habitat, she seems to really enjoy it. She’s been bouncing around. She stays pretty close to mom but she does have her little independent moments. And then in between all of her exploring, she’s taking a lot of naps,” said Price.

She is one of about 600 snow leopards in accredited zoos worldwide and one of just 250 in the United States, according to John Ball Zoo. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as “vulnerable.”

“Snow leopards are a vulnerable species. So having them, we’re able to support their conservation,” Price said.

JBZ participates in the snow leopard AZA Saving Animals From Extinction program, which works to save threatened species. Price said Juniper will stay with her mom for a year and a half but after then, it’s up to the species survival program to decide whether she’ll stay in West Michigan or move somewhere else to breed.