DENVER ZOO WELCOMES FOUR CLOUDED LEOPARDS TO
TOYOTA ELEPHANT PASSAGE
Unique Species is Considered a Bridge between Large and Small Cats
Some new cats are settling into their new surroundings in Denver Zoo's Toyota Elephant Passage. The zoo recently welcomed four clouded leopards, a species of tree dwelling cats native to Asia. Visitors can see the leopards in their two pairs in Toyota Elephant Passage once it opens to the public on June 1.
The first two leopards to arrive were 10-year-old females Tenchi and Mattie. Both arrived from the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida. The other two leopards are cubs, less than a year old. They are female, Lisu (Lee-soo), from Nashville Zoo and male, Taji (Tah-jee), from Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington. Both cubs arrived under recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) in the hopes they will breed when they are older. Zoos participate in SSPs to ensure healthy populations and genetic diversity among zoo animals. Lisu and Taji will live separately from Tenchi and Mattie as they are a breeding pair. Breeding pairs are often strongly bonded to each other and not interested in sharing space with other cats.
Despite their name, clouded leopards are not actually a species of leopard. Because they are so unique they are placed in their own genus, Neofelis, which is a combination of Greek and Latin words meaning "new cat." They are considered a "bridge" between typical big cats, like lions and tigers, and the small cats, like pumas, lynx and ocelots. Their body lengths can range from about two to almost four feet long and they can weigh between 24 and 50 pounds. Their tawny coats with distinctive "cloud-shaped" dark blotches provide excellent camouflage in their forest habitat, enabling them to stalk prey and also hide from potential predators.
Clouded leopards are well adapted for living in the trees. Their short, flexible legs, large feet and sharp, retractable claws make them adept in the trees. They can descend head first down tree trunks, move along branches while hanging upside down and even hang from branches using only their hind feet enabling them to drop down and ambush prey on the ground. Their long tails provides balance as they leap from branch to branch. Their arboreal lifestyle also provides protection from larger predators like tigers and leopards.
They are found in Southeast Asia in southern China, parts of Nepal, India, Burma and from Indochina to Sumatra and Borneo and live primarily in tropical and subtropical evergreen forests up to 6500 feet above sea level.
There are no reliable estimates for clouded leopard populations in the wild, but their numbers are thought to be in decline and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies them as vulnerable. Clouded leopards are endangered primarily due to habitat loss due to deforestation for agriculture. They are also hunted for their beautiful pelts and their bones, claws and teeth are used in traditional Asian medicine.
