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For the first time in its 93-year history, Chester Zoo welcomed the arrival of a “majestic” pair of snow leopards hailing it as “huge news for conservation,” amid hopes that the duo will one day have cubs together.

Footage shared by the zoo show big cats Yashin and Nubra prowling around their new purpose-built enclosure, carefully designed to mimic the the mountainous Himalayan terrain where the highly threatened and elusive species lives in the wild.

Built using more than 600 tons of rocks, the enclosure’s rock outcrops and “air-cooled caves” will allow members of the public to see up close the snow leopards, known as “ghosts of the mountains” due to their ability to camouflage within the landscape.

“Yashin and Nubra are both just over 18 months old, so they’re incredibly playful, inquisitive and full of energy," said Mike Jordan, director of animals and plants at the zoo, adding “the pair appear to have really hit it off.”

“The arrival of snow leopards is a huge milestone in our zoo’s long history and signifies our commitment to protecting another of the world’s most threatened big cat species," Jordan said. Credit: Chester Zoo via Storyful