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<p>LAKE ARIEL &#8212; Over 120 species call Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws Animal Park home. From tigers, to wolves, to birds of prey, a patron to the park can have an intimate look at a vast array of animals, many of which are not native to Pennsylvania. But two recent additions to the rural zoo are garnering special attention.</p><p>Devika and Rashimi, two baby snow leopards who arrived from another zoo in the western U.S., have taken up residence in a habitat in the front of the park, and as the first species that many customers come to, they are soliciting a bevy of smiles, photographs and &#8220;wows.&#8221;</p><p>Vince Hall, owner of the park, chokes up a bit when he talks about his two newest boarders. &#8220;I can&#8217;t describe the excitement when they came in. I was in tears. They are and have always been my favorite cat, and to acquire babies is unbelievable,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Snow leopards are native to a dozen countries in Central Asia, including China, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, where their populations are dwindling to the point of endangerment because of the desire for their pelts and because herders will often kill them to protect their domestic flocks.</p><p>The predatory cats are incredibly elusive animals. According to Hall, the first photograph of a snow leopard wasn&#8217;t taken until 1970, and their ability to be aloof makes it difficult to know how many are alive today. The largest population is thought to be in China where they might number in the thousands.</p><p>On Aug. 4, only Devika, whose name means &#8220;little goddess,&#8221; was in the leopard enclosure. Rashimi, whose name means &#8220;ray of light,&#8221; was taken for regular veterinary care.</p><p>Devika, who was born on May 5, stunned onlookers with her natural beauty. Her elegant white-gray coat, spotted with black rosettes and her piercing blue eyes displayed all of the physical features of an adult snow leopard, but her innocent, capricious gaze and playful demeanor belied the heart of a kitten.</p><p>Hall entered Devika&#8217;s domain to pick her up and bring her out to her awaiting audience. She affectionately stretched in his arms as he pet her and smiled for snapping cameras.</p><p>Hall said he will go in with the leopards until they reach about 30-40 lbs.</p><p>According to the website for the World Wildlife Federation, snow leopards can grow to weigh between 60 and 120 pounds, and they can reach 2 to 5 feet in length.</p><p>They are strong enough to climb on steep inclines, and their coats are durable enough to survive harsh winter climates in the high-altitude mountains of Central Asia. They are capable of leaping up to 5 times their body length, and they often feed on animals as large as sheep and ibex.</p><p>&#8220;We will go in with them until prudence says, &#8216;Don&#8217;t do that anymore,&#8217;&#8221; Hall said with a knowing laugh.</p><p>Hall explained that in a few places in Asia to which snow leopards are native, there is a movement to educate people that the cats need to be protected.</p><p>&#8220;People in some of these countries are being taught that the snow leopard is more valuable alive than dead, because it attracts tourists,&#8221; he said. But he later added that there aren&#8217;t enough of these protectors to watch over every leopard.</p><p>As for Devika and Rashimi, they are in very little danger at Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws. For now, the two will keep their residence in what Hall calls their &#8220;play pen&#8221; near the park entrance, and as they grow, they will be moved to a more spacious habitat.</p><p>Brian and Gina Felkowski, of Clark Summit, were touring the park with their daughter, Mia, who was strapped to Brian&#8217;s chest in a baby carrier.</p><p>The family was taking their first glimpse at a snow leopard. Gina Felkowski called Devika &#8220;beautiful&#8221; and &#8220;a nice addition&#8221; to the park, and her husband said that they would definitely be back to see how the leopards grow and develop.</p><p>&#8220;She&#8217;s obsessed with the animals,&#8221; said Brian Felkowski of his daughter. &#8220;She loves walking around and seeing them.&#8221;</p><p>Eric Zimmerman, of Emmaus, and his young son, Gavin, also stopped by the play pen to look at Devika. At the moment, the leopard cub was sitting idly at the furthest end of the enclosure, hiding much of herself from the curious stares of patrons.</p><p>Eric Zimmerman called her adorable and said he would like to see the rest of her. Gavin Zimmerman noted that it was not technically his first time seeing a snow leopard, because he had seen an adult cat in a book he keeps at home, but as to seeing a live one for the first time, the boy said, &#8220;That&#8217;s pretty cool.&#8221;</p><p>On a day when Hall is at the park, he will drive around on a golf cart and visit many of his animals, but the snow leopards, particularly, put a smile on his face, and he hopes visitors to Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws will appreciate them as much as he does.</p><p>&#8220;In my opnion, they are the most attractive cat in the world,&#8221; Hall said. &#8220;There are over three dozen different types of cat. They (snow leopards) are at the top of the pyramid.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Vince Hall, owner of Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws in Lake Ariel, holds Devika, a snow leopard recently added to the collection of wild animals. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Devika2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Vince Hall, owner of Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws in Lake Ariel, holds Devika, a snow leopard recently added to the collection of wild animals. </caption0><photoCredit0>Matt Mattei | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Devika.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Devika, a snow leopard, looks toward her fans at Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws in Lake Ariel as she is held by owner Vince Hall. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Devika.jpg</photo1><caption1>Devika, a snow leopard, looks toward her fans at Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws in Lake Ariel as she is held by owner Vince Hall. </caption1><photoCredit1>Matt Mattei | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Devika3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Devika, a snow leopard, gets cuddly with Vince Hall, owner of Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws in Lake Ariel. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Devika3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Devika, a snow leopard, gets cuddly with Vince Hall, owner of Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws in Lake Ariel. </caption2><photoCredit2>Matt Mattei | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Matt Mattei</p><p><a href="mailto:mmattei@www.timesleader.com">mmattei@www.timesleader.com</a></p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p>IF YOU GO:</p><p>What: Claws &#8220;N&#8221; Paws Animal Park</p><p>Where: 1475 Ledgedale Rd., Lake Ariel, PA 18436</p><p>When: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday-Sunday (no admittance after 5:15 p.m.)</p><p>Cost: $17 for adults, $12 for ages 2 to 11, $16 for ages 65 and up, and free for children under the age of 2</p><p>For more information call 570-698-6154.</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Matt Mattei at 570-991-6651 or <a href="mailto:mmattei@www.timesleader.com">mmattei@www.timesleader.com</a></p></shirttailMeta></div>

Baby snow leopards stand out at local animal park.