Fort Wayne Zoo welcomes clouded leopard cub

The Fort Wayne Zoo is excited to announce the birth of a male clouded leopard cub born the morning of June 22 to mother Raury, seven years old, and father Sanji, five years old. This is the second successful litter born to Raury and Sanji and the second clouded leopard cub born at the Fort Wayne Zoo. His name will be unveiled at a later date.

“We are overjoyed to welcome the arrival of the male clouded leopard,” said Rick Schuiteman, Zoo executive director & CEO. “Raising a clouded leopard cub takes tremendous effort and I am incredibly proud of our Animal Care & Health Teams for all of their hard work and dedication towards caring for this vulnerable species.”

The Zoo plays an active role in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Clouded Leopard Species Survival Plan, a program that seeks to maintain genetic diversity and long-term sustainability of species with significant conservation value. For clouded leopards, hand-rearing is a recommended best practice due to historical patterns of low maternal success in this species.

“Although it is always preferred for a baby to be raised by its mother, we have a dedicated, qualified team to meet the needs of animals born at the Zoo when human intervention is warranted,” states Dr. Kami Alvarado, director of animal health & conservation. “Ensuring the survival of all species is our top priority, including this clouded leopard cub that is extremely valuable to its species’ population.”

Current hand rearing protocols include daily health exams, frequent bottle feeding, meticulous hygiene upkeep, and close monitoring of weight gain. As the cub grows, protocols will include assisted transition from formula to solids, introducing enrichment items to encourage natural behaviors and social development.

As we continue to care for the cub behind-the-scenes, we invite the public to follow his journey on the Zoo’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and website at fwzoo.com.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists clouded leopards’ conservation status as “vulnerable,” which is defined as a species that faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. To learn more, visit iucnredlist.org/.