Edinburgh Zoo keepers are hoping to turn some famous internet frowns upside down after welcoming a new female Pallas’s cat to join their resident male.
Pallas’s cats, also known as manuls, have become somewhat of an internet meme due to their permanently cranky expressions.
The distinctive “sourpuss” look is actually a clever survival adaptation for the Central Asian Steppes, where their flat heads, low-set ears, and round pupils help them remain hidden while stalking prey.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) welcomed Duchess, a female of the species, to live alongside resident male Akiko. Wildlife experts hope the pair will hit it off and produce kittens as part of an international breeding programme.
Chloe Fyfe, a keeper at the zoo, said: “Duchess has been settling in well and exploring her habitat. She is living up to her name – she’s very prim and proper.
“Akiko will have to work hard to impress her when they are introduced, but he is up to the task. She has a lovely personality and complements him perfectly. Fingers crossed for kittens in the not-too-distant future.”
Despite their online popularity, Pallas’s cats face severe threats across their natural range in the wild. Habitat loss and degradation from agricultural and infrastructure expansion, loss of prey, and predation by domestic dogs have heavily impacted their populations.
Their secretive nature and the remoteness of their habitat also make them difficult to study, leaving them among the least-known wild cat species in the world.
Chloe added: “The grumpy cat phenomenon has been fantastic. It’s made Akiko a real visitor favourite, and Duchess will quickly join those ranks.
“The growing interest in the species is invaluable, as it gives us a great opportunity to celebrate these remarkable animals and raise awareness of the challenges they face in the wild.”
RZSS has managed the species’ breeding programme for over 15 years and co-founded the Pallas’s cat International Conservation Alliance (PICA) to protect the animals globally.
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