Winter weather will make an unexpected appearance at the Santa Barbara Zoo, with 80 tons of snow transforming the grounds into a frosty playground, at the Snow Leopard Festival, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1 (9 a.m. early admission for zoo members only).

A girl wearing cold-weather gear rides down a hill of snow on an orange sled. (Courtesy photo)
The zoo’s winter-themed festival offers sledding for children ages 2-12, with sleds provided. (Courtesy photo)

Families can bundle up and enjoy sledding and fun in the snow while the zoo’s animals, including Layan the new snow leopard, receive snowy enrichment in their habitats, organizers said.

The Snow Leopard Festival celebrates the elusive mountain cat while raising awareness about snow leopards and the challenges they face in the wild.

The Snow Leopard Festival is free with regular paid admission or zoo membership, with an additional fee for sledding ($10 per pass; $8 per pass for zoo members).

The snow play area is open to children ages 12 and under (with parents or guardians), and sledding is available for children ages 2-12. Sleds are provided; personal sleds not permitted.

Reservations are required for zoo tickets and member visits. Advance reservation is advise.
To request accommodations or for inquiries about accessibility, email welcome@sbzoo.org.

For more about the Snow Leopard Festival, call 805-962-5339 or visit www.sbzoo.org.

Snow leopards have a variety of adaptations that enable them to live in the extreme conditions of the high mountains in Central and South Asia, including large paws that act as snowshoes, thick fur that insulates the body in a variety of temperatures, and enlarged nasal cavities to facilitate breathing in cold climates, the zoo reports.

Despite their name, snow leopards are also adapted to thrive during the extreme heat of the summer months, including the grey-white color of their fur, which blends into the environment even when the snow is gone.

Snow leopards are designated on the IUCN List as a Vulnerable species, with poaching and habitat loss as their main threats. A number of other factors threaten this species’ survival, including overhunting of prey (like wild sheep and goats), habitat loss, and climate change.

Learn more about the Santa Barbara Zoo at www.sbzoo.org.