Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled a brand new habitat for endangered Amur leopards at the Staten Island Zoo. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
By Jillian Jorgensen/Staten Island Advance
November 22, 2013
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two brother Amur leopards moved into a brand new $3.5 million bachelor pad at the Staten Island Zoo Friday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg was among those attending the housewarming party. The rare Amur leopards, a species deriving from the Russian River Valley, were well suited for the day's wet and chilly weather -- and they're among just 250 Amur leopards left in captivity and just 40 found in the wild.
That raises a question, Bloomberg said: "Why doesn't the zoo find a pair of leopard sisters to introduce to these leopard brothers?"
Bloomberg -- who may still be a bit traumatized from a previous visit to the zoo in 2009 when he was bit on the finger by Charles G. Hogg, better known as Staten Island Chuck the groundhog -- was among the elected officials and others who cut the ribbon at the brand new leopard habitat.
Schoolchildren from the YMCA and Our Lady of Good Counsel were delighted as the big cats, named Valeri and Kolya, stalked around and climbed trees behind Bloomberg and others who spoke at the event.
Their new digs include real and fake trees to climb, heated rocks for relaxing, and even a pond. It was made possible through $3.5 million in capital funds allocated through the city's Department of Cultural Affairs, Borough President James Molinaro and Councilman James Oddo. "It's just amazing that this little zoo could have an exhibit like that," Molinaro said.
He also told the children how he'd previously given the mayor some bad advice -- that it would be fine to pet Chuck. He asked if the kids knew how they turned out. "He bit him!" they responded. This time, Molinaro had different advice: "Stay out of the cage."
The mayor asked the students if they'd like to hold a groundhog, and warned them not to touch its mouth if they did. "You know what? It didn't hurt," he said of the bite, which ruined a pair of leather gloves. "If it did, I wasn't going to tell anybody."
Once all the jokes at the mayor's -- and Chuck's -- expense were done, it was on to the focus of the day: the leopards. "If you were a leopard, would you like to live here?" Bloomberg asked. "I would. Staten Island is a nice place. We like it, so a leopard ought to like it."
Bloomberg -- who was on Staten Island Monday to cut the ribbon of a new police station -- said the exhibit joins a growing list of "world class destinations" already in Staten Island, and more to come, including the Ocean Breeze Track and Field Facility, and the New York Wheel. He reminded Molinaro and Borough President-elect James Oddo that he'd been promised the first ride on the wheel when it opens in 2016. "All kidding aside, Jim (Molinaro) has been a great partner, he has been a great borough president," Bloomberg said. "I think he's handing Jimmy Oddo, who is gong to also be a great borough president, a great hand to play. Things on Staten Island are going in the right direction. It's a great community."
Also on hand for the ribbon cutting were Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr. of Brooklyn, who helped secure the capital funding for the project as chair of the Finance Committee, Assemblyman Matthew Titone, Deputy Borough President Ed Burke, Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate Levin, Department of Design and Construction Commissioner David Burney, as well as leaders from the zoo.
Executive Director Ken Mitchell said they hoped to make Bloomberg's match-making goals for the leopards a possibility. The zoo is participating in the Species Survival Program, and will seek to find ways to manage the Amur leopard population, potentially through breeding. "We hope to bring you back in a year or so and maybe we'll have leopard cubs," Mitchell said.
The zoo does have a third Amur leopard -- a female named Fitty -- but she lives on her own, as she's considerably older than the young brothers in the new enclosure. William Frew, president of the zoo's Board of Directors, called it a "momentous day" 12 years in the making. "We hope that all of you and your families come and enjoy the best little zoo in America," he said.
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