Beautiful Snow Leopards - Mother and her cub (3 shots)

Had the priveledge to be able to see these beautiful creatures up close at Marwell Zoo yesterday. It was a great visit but this was definately the highlight.

All taken with the 30D and 100-400 handheld, IS on, ISO320, wide open.

Cub just woken up from his afternoon nap.

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

Byte size: ZERO | Content warning: NOT AN IMAGE

Great shots !

wow the cub really is growing up isnt he !!

IanC_UK wrote:
Great shots !

wow the cub really is growing up isnt he !!

Thanks Ian!

It's the first time I have seen the cub, but judging by other photo's I've seen of him he certainly is growing fast! I've really fallen in love with these leopards they are amazing. I might get a season ticket so I can return a few times over the course of the year to see how they are getting on. Unfortunately the male is lame at the moment but receiving treatment, I hope he recovers OK.

Spectacular shots Nick!

You're a good advert for the 100-400!!

Lovely shots Nick. Both the Snow and Amur Leopards at Marwell have grown so quickly but it has been great watching their characters develop. On my last visit I spent ages watching the Amur Leopard cub tear the bark on a tree stump to shreds and then chase some butterflies.

Oh wow
The last time I was at Marwell was in 95 and they had new cubs then...
They are absolutely lovely shots Nick. Thank you so much for sharing - made me homesick all over again

Donna

Nice photos.

I have annual pass for the zoo in Copenhagen so I can go any time and as often as I want. I try to get there often when there are cubs in one of the cat families. Right now the zoo also have a new baby elephant which I have not seen out yet.

Slicendice - Thanks for the kind comments. The 100-400 certainly is the ultimate zoo lens!

Mark - Thanks mate. Yep, they certainly are fun to watch. I got some good shots of the Amur Leopard cub too - he spent most of the day asleep in the same spot, but I returned later in the day and was lucky to catch him waking up and being a bit more active. Your shots have certainly inspired me.

Donna - Thank you! You should pop back to Marwell if you are ever back in the UK, it's changed a lot in recent years, it's a top notch little zoo now.

Tommy - Thanks. You know the more I think about it the more I like the idea of getting a season ticket and being able to pop down whenever the mood takes me! That baby elephant at your zoo sounds great, look forward to seeing some shots when he ventures out!

nitsch wrote:
That baby elephant at your zoo sounds great, look forward to seeing some shots when he ventures out!

I do have a few of the elephant inside but didn't really think they were too great to post (bars distracting, a little blurred due to low light and I didn't use flash).


I don't know what the price for a year pass at Your zoo but a year pass for our zoo cost about $50 and a day ticket cost about $17 so 3 visits and it paid itself. So great value and I support the zoo improving the conditions for the animals in the zoo.

I love the big cats (and thye little ones too!) so a treat for me. I got a season ticket for Longleat and ended up using it a lot more than I expected, but then it was only 15 minutes from my house and I often went to the pub nearby for lunch on my way back I learnt a lot about my gear there just experimenting. It's nice having the freedon to go to these kinds of places. Dudley Zoo and West Midlands Safari Park are not far and now I'm more settled here I might get a season ticket to one or other.

Awwwww....... how lovely. Wonderful captures Nick. Really like #2.

Great Pics Nick.

Can;t wait to get my Sig to Cotswold Park in the better weather.

Beautiful animals and nicely captured!

Great shots!

Thanks so much for the positive comments Fee, Al, Gary and Katzy!

Tommy - The season ticket for Marwell sounds like it works in much the same way, if you make more than 3 visits then it's paid for itself and as you say it is supporting the zoo. I've decided I'm definately going to sign up for it next time I head down there (hopefully in the next couple of weeks).

Dave - Thanks mate. Marwell's only a 30 min trip down the M3 for me so quite easy access. I like the idea of being able to pop down there on a whim and I was looking at pictures on Pbase last night from Marwell and I get the impression that it would be very interesting to visit the zoo at regular intervals throughout the year to see how things change with the seasons. Plus as you say it's an opportunity to hone one's skills on a captive audience! All I need to do now is find a nice little pub en route...