Watch: Endangered Clouded Leopard Cub Gets a Bath

Check out the video at the bottom of this post.

Weighing in at just over a pound, Lowry Park Zoo’s newest addition is attracting some serious attention as he hams for the camera.

After all, the little guy isn’t something most people see every day.

The critter is an endangered clouded leopard, born March 7, to the zoo’s pair of 4-year-olds, Yim and Malee. The kitten’s birth is a first for the zoo and a rarity in the animal world. The newcomer’s arrival puts the number of clouded leopards in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ 22-accredited institutions at 87, Lowry Park noted in a media release.

Clouded leopards are native to Southeast Asia and are known to roam the rain forests of Indonesia to the foothills of the Himalayas. The elusive species is rarely seen in the wild, making a population estimate difficult, National Geographic notes. Even so, the species is considered vulnerable, giving rise to conservation efforts, such as those in action at Lowry Park.

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“This birth signifies a milestone accomplishment in our conservation programs at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo,” Dr. Larry Killmar, vice president of animal science and conservation, was quoted in the zoo’s media release as saying. “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.”

While already hamming it up for the camera, the newborn will be hand-raised until he’s weaned at about 3 months, the zoo noted. His future home will be determined at that time.

Clouded leopards are considered the smallest of the “big cats,’ weighing in at 30 to 50 pounds when fully grown. The creatures are considered “forest-dependent,” Lowry Park noted and their native range is currently experiencing rapid deforestation. Clouded leopards are also vulnerable to extinction due to high levels of hunting and poaching in the wild.

For more information about Lowry Park Zoo’s species survival programs and how to help conservation efforts, visit the nonprofit zoo’s website.

Photo from the Lowry Park Zoo Facebook page

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