Pastel on Canson Mi-Teintes paper, 66 x 46cm. This painting was sold at The Mercer Gallery, Harrogate having been selected for the New Light Prize Exhibition 2023/24.
This rather elegant young Snow Leopard is ‘Yashin’, one of 3 cubs born to mum ‘Animesh’, and dad ‘Koshi’ in May 2022 at The Highland Wildlife Park, near Aviemore. I was luck enough to be able to spend some time studying him when I visited the Park in July 2023. Meanwhile Yashin has moved on to Chester Zoo (as featured on BBC News!) as part of the Snow Leopard captive breeding programme. He has been paired with a female called Nubra and, with luck they will start their own family in the years to come. They will be playing a small, but vital part in the efforts to safe-guard the future of these beautiful and magnificent animals.