Meet the adorable snow leopard couple who snuggle together EVERY NIGHT

2 years ago
32

Meet the adorable snow leopard couple who have been together for six years and snuggle together EVERY NIGHT.

Panja and Jessiem, 11 and nine-years-old respectively, have an amazing relationship and play together like two loved-up teenagers, jumping and chasing each other.

At night, they always snuggle and even stroke each other to sleep.

But it wasn't all love a kisses at the beginning.

Male Panja joined the Paradise Wildlife Park, in Hertfordshire., in 2011 from the Czech Republic and Jessie, the female, arrived in 2014.

Panja was very disapproving of having someone invade his bachelor pad, and Jessie had never met another leopard outside her family, so they did their best to avoid each other.

Conservationist Cameron Whitnall, live-in marketing director at the wildlife park, said:

“They have an incredible relationship.

"The first six months of them being together, they wouldn't quite see eye to eye, but it just clicked one day and they've just been inseparable ever since.

"They're two incredible snow leopards. They have an amazing bond.”

While they may be all loved-up it, like every other couple, the pair do have their spats.

Cameron, 26, added: “Whether it be Panja taking up too much room in the bed, or Jesse just being overly needy and wanting lots of cuddles.

"They're just normal sort of things that any couple, whether it be animal or human, will have to deal with.”

Jessie is now definitely in charge. It was the other way around at first, but Jessie now gets to eat and play first, and even decide when Panja gets up.

Cameron added: "Jesse wears the trousers in the relationship. So she always has to go first to have the toy or the food or whatever it is that we give them. And Panja is just waiting patiently for his chance to go over.

“I've seen other places all around the world where the snow leopards are very similar. They love cuddling, interacting, and playing. And they all have special bonds.

Jessie and Panja have been trying for kids for quite a while. As part of the Endangered Species Breeding Program they have a job to do, and that job is to make kittens, but it’s not quite that easy.

The wildlife park has been trying to get the two to mate for a while, but the pair seem to be enjoying their honeymoon - free from mewling kitten for now.

Cameron added: “We are hoping one day that they will have cubs. But it's just down to them to be honest.

"They have shown mating behaviour. We can hear them mate and trust me, you do not want to hear two Snow Leopards mating. It doesn't sound pleasant."

Loading comments...