By Blake Haas
BLOOMINGTON – The Miller Park Zoo is welcoming two Snow Leopards back to the Zoo after spending time at the Omaha Nebraska Zoo for “physical therapy.”
The two snow leopard cubs, Rilu and Hima, became parents this past summer of two cubs that suffered from a congenital condition called “swimmers syndrome.”
“This is a really unique story. The snow leopard cubs were born here at the Miller Park Zoo. At about two weeks of age, the keeper started to noticing they had something called “swimmers syndrome,” where the back legs are behind them, and they are not able to put weight on them,” Miller Park Zoo Director Jay Tetzloff told WJBC’s, Marc Strauss. “It happens in dogs and domestic cats a little bit; it’s pretty rare in snow leopards.”
Tetzloff said the staff at the Zoo immediately began therapy three times a day. However, the leopards needed veterinary care seven days a week, and the Zoo does not have those capabilities.
“Our team here, our vet team, only comes in once a week for us. So we reached out to a couple of Zoo’s, and the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo took in our cubs and then took over that physical therapy.”
LISTEN: Miller Park Zoo Director Jay Tetzloff spoke with WJBC’s Marc Strauss about how a pair of snow leopards are back at the Zoo after undergoing therapy.
Tetzloff, who serves as the Snow leopard SSP (Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan) Coordinator, added that since the cubs are still undergoing treatment, they are located inside the buildings that are closed to the public due to COVID-19.
Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].
