PREVIEW

Dartmoor Zoo's Leopard Finds Mate Via 'Animal Dating Site'. Dartmoor Zoo's Amur leopard Freddo has found a girlfriend thanks to a database that acts like an 'animal dating app'. Arriving from Colchester Zoo this month, Lena was chosen as a suitable mate for Freddo via the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) dubbed a "dating site for animals", as it matches them with suitable mates. At 4 years and 8 months of age, Lena has been chosen as a suitable breeding mate for Freddo and this much-anticipated pairing has been in the works since Freddo's arrival in November 2023. Colchester Zoo's Carnivore Lead Emma commented: “Lena Is a feisty female Amur leopard with a big personality and a lot of character. “She can be a little stubborn at times. She's very inquisitive, enjoying all types of enrichment especially spices and perfumes.” Lena will be moving into an off-show habitat while she adjusts to the move and the team will be regularly monitoring her welfare during this time. Observations will also be carried out to assess Lena and Freddo's interactions, whilst plans will be made to work towards an introduction in the future.