New Big Cat Moves in at Binghamton’s Ross Park Zoo

A new big cat is making herself at home on Binghamton’s south side. 

Avanti, a two-year old Amur Leopard arrived Saturday at Ross Park Zoo and is settling in at the Great Cats of Asia exhibit. 

The cat comes from Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana as part of the Species Survival Plan. There are only 84 Amur leopards left in the wild and 200 in captivity, placing the big cats on the list of critically endangered. 

A welcoming party of Avanti will be held at the zoo Saturday, September 22 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. It will be a quiet party, though.  Zoo officials say Avanti is still adjusting to her new surroundings.  She will have access to both the indoor and outdoor parts of her home but visitors are asked to refrain from making loud noises around Avanti for her first few weeks.

Ross Park Zoo is on Morgan Road in Binghamton and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily with the last tickets of the day sold at 3 p-m. Admission is $8 adults and $6 for children aged 3 to 11.

Call the zoo at (607) 724-5461 or go to the website: www.rossparkzoo.com for more information.