THE leopards at Colchester Zoo will soon be enjoying roomier accommodation.

The new Leopards at Ussuri Falls enclosure will be officially opened by Steve Scruton, from BBC Essex, on Saturday.

Costing more than £100,000, the area almost triples the size of the big cats’ current home.

The enclosure is designed to be more like the leopards’ natural environment.

As leopards are solitary in the wild, there will be separate enclosures for the zoo’s two Amur leopards, as well as an area where the male and female can mix during the breeding season.

There are also better viewing galleries for visitors.

The zoo is hosting a series of events on Saturday to mark the official opening.

At 10am, keeper of carnivores Vickie Ledbrook and training co-ordinator Jez Smith will present a talk at the Kalahari Theatre, about the plight of Amur leopards in the wild.

Training displays will take place at 11.30am and 2.30pm, when it will be possible to see some of Colchester Zoo’s training methods.

A stall at the new enclosure will include a children’s colouring competition. The winner will win the chance to take part in the leopard feed during the afternoon.

Other activities will include face painting.

From 10am until 3pm, visitors can find out more about Amur leopards and their conservation.

Amur leopards are one of the most endangered big cats in the world, with less than 50 left in the wild.

Steve Scruton will officially open the enclosure at 2pm.