Naples Zoo to display 2 rare young clouded leopards

Published:
Photo via Naples Zoo

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) – Visitors to the Naples Zoo will be getting a holiday gift: the chance to see rare juvenile leopards.

The Naples Daily News reports that the months-old clouded leopards will make their zoo debut on Saturday.

Photo via Naples Zoo
Photo via Naples Zoo

The leopards come to the zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which finds breeding pairs of the rare cats and puts them together at zoos.

On display will be 8-month-old Masala, who arrived from a zoo in Tacoma, Washington, and 9-month old Tikka, who came from a private facility in Kansas.

Clouded leopards are paired before they reach a year of age and remain together for life.

The animals are vulnerable to extinction and will be on display Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

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