Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo mourns loss of Matriarch Snow Leopard

SEATTLE - The Matriarch Snow Leopard at Woodland Park Zoo, named Helen, has died. The grandma to cubs was previously battling kidney disease.

Zookeepers and staff are mourning the loss of the 20-year-old leopard who lived to see one of her cubs have a litter of three cubs of their own. 

The Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan aims to increase the genetic diversity of the living population of snow leopards while also observing the successful raising of cubs by their mothers.

Helen, Batu, Gobi

What they're saying:

"For the past couple of years, we have been treating Helen for kidney disease, which we were able to diagnose because her caretakers successfully trained her to allow veterinary technicians to collect blood samples from her tail while receiving treats."

What is the life expectancy of snow leopards?

The median snow leopard will live 17-19 years, meaning Helen had barely surpassed her expected lifespan at the zoo. 

Out in the wild, these leopards are only expected to live 10-12 years, according to the Snow Leopard Trust. The trust's founder, Helen Freeman, is who the leopard was named after upon her arrival to the zoo.

Helen (Woodland Park Zoo)

The backstory:

Helen arrived at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo back in 2008 from a zoo in our state's neighbor to the east, Idaho Falls Zoo. 

In her time at the zoo, Helen gave birth to five cubs.

"As the late Helen Freeman left behind a legacy to save snow leopards in the wild, our Helen has also left her own legacy and gave us a peek into the world of snow leopard moms successfully raising cubs and teaching instinctual skills. We’re going to miss this gorgeous cat," said Beth Carlyle-Askew, an animal care manager at Woodland Park Zoo.

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