The Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington is mourning the loss of one of its snow leopards this week.

Zoo Executive Director Jay Pratte on the WHOW Morning Show Thursday told Regional Radio 'Hemma' had a unique personality and was very special for her role in the active breeding program at the zoo.

Working in the big cat field for many years, Pratte says it will be interesting to see how the other animals in the collection respond. He says snow leopards by nature are very solitary animals.

Pratte indicates they will give the staff of the zoo time to grieve this loss and then potentially discuss how to best memorialize Hemma and her impact on the zoo.