January 06, 2025
Provided Image/Philadelphia Zoo
A snow leopard enjoyed the snow day Monday at the Philadelphia Zoo. Several local zoos posted photos and videos of what their animals were up to as they closed for the winter storm.
As snow blanketed the Philly region Monday in the season's first winter storm, many local zoos were closed to visitors. But while guests were away, the animals played — and zookeepers shared adorable photos and videos to social media of critters frolicking in the flurries.
Here's a peek at what snow leopards, otters, red pandas, camels and bisons got up to on their snow day in zoos from Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore.
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At the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 W. Girard Ave.), Marcy the snow leopard — who joined the zoo in March — lived up to her species' name by enjoying the wintry weather. In a video posted to Instagram, the giant spotted fluff ball could be seen rolling around. Snow leopards live in the mountainous regions of central and south Asian countries and have front paws that are about two to three times wider than an average human hand, helping to keep them from sinking into the snow.
Other big cats at the zoo, including a cheetah, kept warm in their fur coats as they curiously investigated the snow blanket.
A cheetah at the Philadelphia Zoo takes shelter while peering out at the snow Monday.
The Philly Zoo also posted photos to Instagram stories of some of its barnyard animals, like sheep and goats, venturing out from their indoor areas to explore the snow.
The Jacob sheep at the Philadelphia zoo wandered out of their barn Monday to peek at the snow.
Toward the shore, at the Cape May County Zoo (707 U.S.-9 North, Cape May Court House), an otter named Mork had himself a day as he swam in his icy pool. Otters have "incredibly dense fur coats," the zoo wrote on Instagram, helping them to withstand extreme temperatures and survive the northern winters.
Another animal at the Cape May County Zoo that loved the snow day was Aurora the red panda, a species that's used to a temperate climate, mostly in the eastern Himalayas.
"Red panda keepers don't have to do too much to make Aurora comfortable during this weather," the Cape May County Zoo American Association of Zookeepers chapter wrote on Instagram alongside some cute pics of Aurora. "She has access to a heated building to warm up, but her thick coat allows her to spend plenty of time outdoors without getting cold."
Cape May County zookeepers also posted about their bison and camels prancing around in the winter storm. Despite their access to barns where they can shelter, the bison with their thick fiber and camels with their hefty winter coats enjoyed the great outdoors. It may seem baffling that a desert animal like the camel should enjoy the cold, but "temperatures in the Mongolian desert also drop well below freezing, so they also grow in a thick winter coat," according to the zookeepers.
The Cape May County Zoo has already announced it will be closed Tuesday, and it urges fans to continue following along on the Cape May County Zoo AAZK Chapter Instagram page to see which critters like the snow and how zookeepers help those that would rather be warm and toasty indoors. The zoo is planning to welcome penguins in the coming years, so there may soon be more snow day pals.
Also in South Jersey, zookeepers at the Cohanzick Zoo (45 Mayor Aitken Drive, Bridgeton) were "reporting for duty" with their snow gear and equipment to care for the animals while the zoo was closed. At the zoo, the wildlife that enjoyed playing in the snow included the tigers, a spotted leopard, a black leopard, a wallaby, a golden pheasant and a white peacock, NJ.com reported.
Farther west in Pennsylvania, Cosmo the red panda enjoyed some snowy climbing at the Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Road, P.O. Box 519, Schnecksville). Otters, big cats, wolves and deer at ZooAmerica (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey) were picture perfect during Friday's snow.
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