Let it Snow!

Three snow leopards have taken their place in Central Park. Raised at the Bronx Zoo, these three cats (two females and a male) now enjoy a specially designed habitat at the Central Park Zoo, half a world away from their natural breeding grounds, in Central Asia. But here in the Big Apple, they've got all of the amenities of home and then some.

To celebrate their arrival, the Wildlife Conservation Society last night threw its annual gala, which of course brought out some of the city's most prominent social types. Sipping cocktails by the sea-lion pool, party guests moved into tropical tents decorated with arrangements created by master florist Preston Bailey. In accordance with the Society's eco-oriented mission, all items on the night's menu were sourced locally, with no ingredient coming from anywhere more than 100 miles outside New York.

Be sure to stop by to see the snow leopards yourself. But just don't expect to hear them roar. Unlike other ferocious felines, snow leopards are unable to make that frightening sound.