Snow is virtually unheard of in sunny Santa Barbara — until now! The Santa Barbara Zoo presents its annual Snow Leopard Festival, fit out with 80 tons of snow, sledding, and learning about snow leopards.
The day will spotlight Kisa, the Santa Barbara Zoo’s very own snow leopard. The festival is part of the Zoo’s commitment to raising awareness of this endangered species and honoring their very own member of this species, held right here in Santa Barbara.
Snow leopards, native to the high mountains of Central and South Asia, are unique animals capable of living in extreme conditions. Their large, snowshoe-like paws allow them to comfortably tread on snow, as well as thick fur that insulates their body and allows them to withstand brutal winter weather. Despite the implications of their species name, they are also able to thrive in the heat of the summer months due to the gray-white color of their fur that allows them to blend into the environment even without the presence of snow.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced in September 2017 that the snow leopard has been downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the Red List, still placing them at the risk of extinction in the future due to factors such as habitat loss, diminishing prey, and poaching. With protection and conservation initiatives, us humans have the ability to negate some of this risk and protect the species.
Attending the Snow Leopard Festival will help call attention to helping this vulnerable species. It will be a day full of both learning and fun for kids.
On Sunday, February 2, the Snow Leopard Festival welcomes the community to attend from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (9 a.m. early admission for S.B. Zoo members only). The Snow Leopard Festival is free with regular paid admission or Zoo membership, and there is an additional fee for sledding. The snow play area is open to children 12 and under, and sledding is for children ages 2-12 only (sleds are provided).
For more information about the Snow Leopard Festival, please call (805) 962-5339 or visit sbzoo.org.
