One of the best parts about zoos is the way they seem to constantly have a star-studded lineup of the cutest baby animals in the world. Part of a zoo’s job is to contribute to responsible breeding – by doing so, they’re keeping endangered and vulnerable species from going extinct.
On Wednesday, March 12th, Nashville Zoo threw their hat in the ring with their 15-day-old Clouded Leopard cub. Not only is she cute enough to win it all; she looks like a little Webkinz toy. You just have to see her:
@nashzooSay hello to our 15 day old clouded leopard cub 👋 🥰
I have never visited Nashville Zoo, but I might consider making a trip just to see this little baby. Her yawns are already so big!
The Clouded Leopard is, according to Nashville Zoo, their signature species. They’re part of the Clouded Leopard Consortium, and they’ve seen some of the greatest success with breeding the species in captivity. This sweet cub is 1 of 44 to be born here since 1991 – how incredible is that?
She, like the others, is hand-raised by zoo staff to ensure that she survives and reaches her fullest potential. As she gets older, she may move to a different zoo, but for now, they’re letting her live it up! When she’s not busy yawning and capturing everybody’s hearts, she can be found with her mama, playing and anxiously awaiting the day when she’s big enough to play with the rest of the pack.
More about Clouded Leopards
Clouded Leopards aren’t like other Leopards. In fact, they’re not really Leopards at all: they have their own, completely separate genus (Neofelis) but get their name because they look very Leopard like. They’re a bit smaller than big cats like actual Leopards, Lions, or Tigers, but they’re bigger than a house cat.
They’ve also got the largest canine teeth of any of those big cat species, often being called the “modern Sabertooth.” They’re also pretty rare and only getting rarer as time passes: Clouded Leopards are classified as “vulnerable” by the IUCN, and their population continues to decrease.
Native to Southeast Asia, there are several things that threaten the Clouded Leopard’s natural habitat:
- Palm oil production.
- Poaching for their skin and bones, which some claim have medicinal property.
- Fragmentation as a result of strategic deforestation.
Unfortunately, the species has also proved to be difficult for experts to breed in captivity, which is what makes the Nashville Zoo’s success with it such a feat. Hopefully, this girl grows up and lives the happiest life!
