Snow Leopard star of the show at Dudley Zoo

In the run-up to Christmas the zoo's marketing team sent out more than 200 adoptions for many of the zoo's animals, although one year-old snow leopard, Makalu proved to be the most popular choice, closely followed by 23 month-old giraffe, Kito and our Humboldt penguins.

Marketing manager Andrea Hales, said: "Adoption packages are always popular at this time of year and it's interesting to see which animal comes out on top. They make fantastic gifts for any occasion and the money generated from sales is ploughed straight back into the zoo.

"We use the funds to continue our vital conservation programmes as well as purchasing treats and toys for the animals, so we're delighted to have raised so much over the festive period." It comes as Dudley Zoo workers begin their census of animals. Staff will count everything from its three Asiatic lions to its 71 fast-flying Egyptian fruit and Seba's short-tailed bats.

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The census forms part of a licensing requirement, which applies to all UK zoos and wildlife parks.

The animals are identified through various methods including microchips, ear tags, body markings, flipper bands and foot rings.

Last year the total came to 1,579 animals and for 2016 the long task will be overseen by the zoo's registrar and research co-ordinator, Dr David Beeston. And the work does not look like stopping at the zoo either going into the new year after the management announced enclosures at the zoo were in line for a revamp costing £200,000, bringing visitors even closer to the animals.

The major work will see homes for the zoo's breeding group of gelada baboons and the family of flamingos developed.

A further project will also create an interactive walk-through exhibit where visitors can feed dozens of yellow-backed chattering lorikeets, which birds are that are vulnerable in the wild. The scheme forms part of an on-going programme of renovation work to the animal enclosures aimed at giving the creatures more space.

The largest part of the project is the £120,000 work on the flamingo enclosure which will see a much bigger pool and a larger indoor area with a viewing area.

The snow leopard is a moderately large cat species native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia.

They live between 3,000 and 5,500 metres above sea level on rocky mountain slopes.

Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold mountainous environment.

Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to prevent excess heat loss.

Their paws are wide and this helps distribute their weight when walking on snow.

The feet also have fur on their soles to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces. It also helps to minimise heat loss.

Snow leopards' tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance in the rocky terrain they inhabit.

Their tails are also very thick furred which allows them to be used like a blanket to protect their faces when asleep.

They maintain a territory, however they do not defend this aggressively when other snow leopards enter.

They are most active at dusk and dawn.

They hunt a range of prey including blue sheep, ibex, marmots, hares and large birds.

The breeding season is short because of the harshness of its environment.