Snow Leopard Exhibit in New York

Readers of this blog know that I have a curious relationship with zoos--I enjoy seeing the animals but don't appreciate the fact that they are in captivity. The concept of preservation which many zoos seem to be "pushing" to combat the animals behind bars image goes only so far with me. Yes, you are preserving and protecting animal that may or may not have become extinct in the wild, but you are doing it with cages.

In any event, the new exhibit of snow leopards that recently opened at the Central Park Zoo apparently seems to have created an impressive middling ground. According to the New York Times, the exhibit, created under the auspices of the Wildlife Conservation Society that runs the zoo, is worth visiting.

For one, the "cage bars" are barely visible. "Two pavilions, with spare panels of text, look out onto two hills, while a barely visible steel wire mesh covers these habitats like protective tents," gushes the Times. One habitat is lush while the other is a rocky landscape with a waterfall. A mist machine creates clouds, through which the snow leopards materialize.

Snow leopards are difficult to see in the wild--they blend in incredibly well with their surroundings. So for that alone, the exhibit is a treat--it is rare to spot one of these magnificent creatures "au naturel." But the true "raison d'etre" for the exhibit is to help save the breed. According to the Times, fewer than 8,000 snow leopards exist in the wild. During the last thirty years, the Wildlife Conservancy has bred more than 80 cubs and sent them to new homes at zoos around the world. Many think that this effort may indeed keep the snow leopard from extinction.

The overall effect, according to the Times, is still one of forced confinement in a natural stage setting. Yet, there is a part of us that likes to believe the snow leopards are better off here, safe and sound, protected from avalanches, natural disasters and predators.

Are the animals truly "happier" in captivity? Who knows. But the humans most certainly are.