National Zoo announces leopard cubs' birth

By Washington Post editors



Clouded leopard cub born at the National Zoo's Front Royal, Va., site on Valentine's Day. (Photo by Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian National Zoo)

National Zoo officials announced today that two clouded leopard cubs were born at their campus in Front Royal, Va., on Valentine's Day.

Jao Chu (JOW-chew), a three-and-a-half-year-old clouded leopard, gave birth to the first cub at 6:04 p.m. and the second cub at 6:20 p.m. At birth, the two cubs weighed in at a little more than half a pound each. Officials said they are not certain about the sex of the cubs.

This is the third time Jao Chu and the cubs’ father, Hannibal, also three-and-a-half-years-old, have produced offspring. On March 24, 2009, Jao Chu gave birth to two males — Sa Ming (SAH-meeng), “brave warrior,” and Ta Moon (TAH-moon), “mischievous child.” Nearly four months later, on July 9, she gave birth to a female cub, Baylie (BAY-lee).

This most recent births are especially welcome because breeding of clouded leopards is challenging in part because male clouded leopards are particularly aggressive and have sometimes been known to attack their mates. Cub mortality is high because female leopards sometimes eat their offspring.



Clouded leopards are listed as “vulnerable to extinction” due to hunting and deforestation. National Zoo scientist Jo Gayle Howard and colleagues have worked with clouded leopards in Front Royal since 1978. In the past 30 years, more than 76 clouded leopards have been born there.

Little is known about clouded leopards, which are natives of Southeast Asia and parts of China. They live in habitats ranging from dense tropical evergreen forest to drier forests.

Adult leopards weigh 30 to 50 pounds and measure about five feet in length. A long tail accounts for almost half the length. Their tails and large paws help them balance on small branches. They are about the size of a medium-weight dog.

You can see the cubs on the zoo's clouded leopard cam.

Also, check out our gallery of clouded leopard cubs born at the facility last March.

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By Washington Post editors | February 18, 2010; 2:36 PM ET



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