NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Nashville Zoo is celebrating another new addition in the form of a baby clouded leopard.
The zoo announced a female cub was born the evening of Feb. 25, and is currently “about the size of a small baguette,” weighing in around 244 grams and measuring about 13 inches long from nose to tip of tail. The birth marks the 44th clouded leopard born at Nashville Zoo since 1991 and is the first cub to be born at a zoo accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) this year.
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According to the Zoo, the new cub is the third litter for the mated pair of Niran and Ron and is the fourth female cub to be born to Niran. Since this is the first and only clouded leopard cub born in an AZA-accredited Zoo this year, the cub’s survivability is “critical.” Aligning with the AZA Species Survival Plan’s recommendation, Zoo staff have elected to hand-rear the cub.
Guests can now view the cub at the Zoo’s HCA Healthcare Veterinary Center. A naming contest will be announced in full detail for the cub on Thursday, according to the Zoo.
“We are thrilled to see the success of natural breeding between Niran and Ron,” said Nashville Zoo Director of Veterinary Services Heather Schwartz. “The birth of this new clouded leopard cub is a huge accomplishment in our conservation efforts for the species and a testament to the work we have been doing with Clouded Leopards the last 34 years.”
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According to the Zoo, the AZA has 64 clouded leopards in its collection, with Nashville Zoo housing 15 of them. The success of the Zoo’s clouded leopard breeding program is due in part to hand-rearing them. This technique prevents parental predation or neglect—which is common for clouded leopards—reduces the cub’s stress, and allows this normally nervous species to become acclimated to the sights and sounds of human interaction typical in an exhibit environment, according to the zoo.
Hand-raising also allows the Zoo to pair cubs at an early age, according to Zoo officials. The Zoo’s research with breeding clouded leopards has revealed that pairing at an early age significantly reduces aggression and allows for more successful breeding pairs.
