NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Nashville Zoo announced the birth of a female clouded leopard cub in honor of International Clouded Leopard Day.
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Though the cub was born on July 18, August 4 is International Clouded Leopard Day. She’s the third cub to be born to Jewels and Bruce. She is the 45th clouded leopard to be born at the Nashville Zoo since 1991. She’s also the third cub to be born at a zoo accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums — and the Nashville Zoo has contributed two of the three.
Earlier this year, the Nashville Zoo announced the birth of a female cub on Feb. 25. However, just over a month after she was born, she died from intestinal bleeding.
“Seeing another clouded leopard litter born this year makes us hopeful for the survivability of the species,” Nashville Zoo’s Director of Veterinary Services, Heather Schwartz, said. “A successful birth of this rare species is a huge accomplishment in our conservation efforts and a testament to the work we have been doing with Clouded Leopards for the last 34 years.”
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Currently, she weighs about a pound, and the zoo said that she is “the size of a small teddy bear.” The Nashville Zoo houses 14 out of 62 clouded leopards under the care of the AZA, and the zoo attributes their success to hand-rearing cubs, which reduces stress and allows for pairing at an earlier age to reduce aggression and create more successful breeding pairs.
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In addition to the birth of this clouded leopard, the zoo also acquired a 10-week-old brother and sister pair from Tanganyika Wildlife Park. Once it’s age appropriate, the zoo will introduce their newest cub to the siblings for social interaction…