Nashville Zoo is proud to announce the births of two clouded leopards born March 13 and March 18. The cubs, both female, are doing well and are being hand-raised together.
“Nashville Zoo is on the forefront of clouded leopard care and conservation,” said Karen Rice, carnivore supervisor. “The births of these two cubs aids in our conservation efforts and benefits the long-term plan to create a sustainable captive population.”
Clouded leopards are considered vulnerable to extinction due to deforestation, poaching and the pet trade. As a founding member of the Thailand Clouded Leopard Consortium, Nashville Zoo works with organizations around the world to improve husbandry, breeding and genetic diversity for this dynamic species. Due to the cat’s reclusive disposition, introducing clouded leopards to potential mates has been difficult, as male clouded leopards have been known to attack and kill potential female partners. To reduce these fatal attacks, the Zoo hand-raises cubs and introduces them to mates at a young age. Since 2009, 26 clouded leopards have been raised by the Zoo’s animal care team and have gone on to zoos worldwide. This birth announcement comes on the heels of clouded leopards born at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo on March 7 and Zoo Miami on March 9. The fathers from both of these breeding pairs were born at Nashville Zoo.
Nashville Zoo is accredited by the prestigious Association of Zoos and Aquariums, assuring the highest standards of animal care and husbandry. Attracting more than 830,000 visitors annually, the Zoo is considered one of the top things to do in Nashville. The Zoo is a non-profit organization located at 3777 Nolensville Pike and is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The mission of Nashville Zoo is to inspire a culture of understanding and discovery of our natural world through conservation, innovation and leadership. For more information about Nashville Zoo, call 615-833-1534 or visit www.nashvillezoo.org.
