NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Nashville Zoo on Saturday announced its latest animal additions — twin serval cats named after two key historical leaders that helped shape the U.S.
The cats, named Alexander “Xander” Hamilton and Theodore “Theo” Roosevelt, were born on October 26, the zoo said, but have been “growing up behind the scenes” alongside their mother, named Cleopatra.
As part of this life behind the scenes, they’re also taking part in a first-ever animal raising approach at the zoo, known as co-rearing, in which young animals are raised alongside their parents as well as other animals.
“This approach allows them to stay with Cleo for nursing and natural behaviors, while keepers provide daily hands-on socialization to prepare them for life as ambassador animals,“ the zoo said on Facebook. ”Their parents, Cleopatra and Churchill, make up our behind-the-scenes serval pair here at the Zoo.”…