Government plans that could have brought two giant pandas to Wellington Zoo have been shelved but a pair of critically endangered snow leopards could come to the capital instead.
They would be the only snow leopards in the country – there are no more than 7000 surviving in the wild. The zoo believes they would be a major drawcard that would increase zoo attendance.
But zoo chief executive Karen Fifield said there was more to it than just boosting visitor numbers. "It is also about what animals are contextually right for the [Asian] precinct in the zoo...
"We also consider the conservation value and they are critically endangered animals – both giant pandas and snow leopards."
A spokeswoman for Prime Minister John Key said a decision to defer the acquisition of giant pandas was made earlier this year.
"The significant financial implications of a number of disasters, the most recent being the second Christchurch earthquake, meant the Government needed to reprioritise any spending that it could.
"While we are still keen to secure a pair of pandas for a New Zealand zoo, it will have to wait until the economic situation improves."
The Government had not spent any money on initial moves to broker a panda deal, the spokeswoman said. It would cost about $1.29 million a year to lease the bears from the Chinese Government, which would have ultimately decided whether to send pandas here.
The Government had indicated it would help with funding.
Ms Fifield was disappointed that the giant panda acquisition was on hold but agreed with the decision as a result of the Christchurch earthquakes.
"But the Government said giant pandas aren't off the agenda entirely and we don't want to go down the snow leopard track and then have giant pandas come back on the agenda.
"It is a fine line we walk but I would say snow leopards are in the mix when it comes to our collection options ... but there is nothing in concrete."
If leopards were acquired by the zoo they would be housed in the sun bear enclosure, which would become vacant when the bears moved to a new enclosure in March next year.
"We would have to start seriously considering what we do at this time next year," Ms Fifield said.
The Dominion Post revealed 11 months ago that talks to bring a pair of pandas to the country were underway between the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry and its Chinese counterpart.
Mr Key called for expressions of interest from zoos, which put Wellington in a four-way race with Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch.