Rare clouded leopard cubs born at Nashville Zoo Back in March,
the National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center announced
the birth of two clouded leopard cubs. The cubs' birth was big
news, in part because clouded leopards are severely endangered
and in part because the species presents unique problems to
those attempting to breed it in captivity. (Male clouded
leopards are prone to behavior so aggressive that they often
wind up killing their potential mates. Females are known for,
whether intentionally or accidentally, killing their cubs
shortly after they're born.) The National Zoo's cubs represented
the first successful breeding of clouded leopards in any North
American zoo in six years. Their parents, Hannibal and Jao Chu,
were one of two breeding pairs imported from Thailand last year.
The other breeding pair went to the Nashville Zoo, where three
cubs were born May 30! The cubs -- two males and one female --
are in good health, as are their parents, Jing Jai and Arun.
Like the National Zoo's clouded