14 DAY TRIAL // Zoo Miami in Florida, US, is now home to a pair of clouded leopard cubs born just a few weeks ago, on March 9, to mother Serai and dad Rajasi.
The cubs, photos of which are available in the gallery below, are well looked after by their mom. Just the other day, vets had the chance to examine them and say that they are both perfectly healthy.
In case anyone was wondering, the baby clouded leopards are both young ladies in the making. They haven’t been named yet, but their caretakers promise to soon find the absolute best monikers for them.
Although they got to experience the great outdoors for a few minutes when vets and zoo staff examined them, they spend most of their time in the family den, together with their mother, Zoo Borns reports.
Apart from looking cute and cuddly, they keep busy sleeping and nursing. They are kind of helpless these day, but their caretakers promise they will grow to be fierce predators.
And now for the bad news: the cubs and their mom will not make their public debut for a while. Thus, caretakers say that they are to remain off exhibit for a few more weeks, until the young ones grow more confident.
Clouded leopards are in danger of going extinct
Like many other species, clouded leopards are now in danger of going extinct. True, habitat loss is partly to blame for their being listed as a vulnerable species.
Still, conservationists say that it’s the fact that people often hunt them for their pelts that has contributed the most to the species’ decline.
According to wildlife researchers, clouded leopards currently inhabit forested areas in Taiwan, Southern China and Malaysia. To climb trees more easily, they have evolved to have short legs that end with surprisingly large paws.
Since they like to keep to themselves, not much is known about the species or exactly how many such big cats are left in the wild. Experts estimate a population of about 10,000.
