A tiny spotted kitten is being called a "milestone accomplishment" by vets at the Lowry Park Zoo who welcomed the birth of an endangered clouded leopard on March 7.

The wee male is the first kitten born to the zoo's pair of 4-year-old clouded leopards, and the offspring introduces new genetics into the managed population in North America. Zoo vets say the cub is thriving and "has become a worldwide ambassador for his imperiled species."

"This birth signifies a milestone accomplishment in our conservation programs at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo," said Dr. Larry Killmar, vice president of animal science and conservation. "Species survival programs for animals like clouded leopards take years of planning, development and staff commitment. This kitten will contribute to the long term viability of our conservation efforts within the managed population, as well as range countries."

The kitten is now housed in the zoo's veterinary hospital, and there is no anticipated access at this time for the general public, zoo spokeswoman Rachel Nelson said.

He will be hand-reared by the veterinary team until about 3 months, then will transition to independence, probably still at the hospital, Nelson said. At about 6 months of age, he will be paired with a female companion who will ultimately become his mate upon maturity. It hasn't been decided yet if that will happen at Lowry Park Zoo or another facility.

Introducing the cats to potential mates at a young age has been successful in reducing fatal attacks by aggressive adult males, she said.

The parent leopards, father Yim and mother Malee, arrived at the zoo in 2011 at 6 months old. They were paired as potential mates by the Clouded Leopard Species Survival Plan, a program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums designed to support the conservation of select wildlife species at risk of extinction. With this birth, there are a total of 87 clouded leopards in 22 AZA-accredited institutions.

The kitten was feeding well and gaining weight, with a birth weight of about 10.5 ounces and weighing almost 28 ounces at 2 weeks old.

"His eyes are completely open and he is becoming more alert," a zoo release says. "He is very vocal, particularly near feeding time, which occurs approximately every four hours."

Clouded leopards are the smallest of the big cats, weighing 30 to 50 pounds in adulthood and measuring about 5 feet long (including a long tail).

Native to Southeast Asia, clouded leopards are found in forests and rainforests. They are known as shy and reclusive cats. As a forest-dependent species, the leopard has seen its native range undergo the world's fastest regional deforestation rates. High levels of hunting and poaching also make the species vulnerable to extinction.