Oklahoma City Zoo is thrilled to announce the recent birth of a rare clouded leopard kitten. Following an approximately 90-day gestation period, the OKC Zoo’s female clouded leopard, Rukai, gave birth to a male kitten on Tuesday, July 18, at the Zoo’s Cat Forest habitat.
The OKC Zoo is a proud participant in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA’s) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for clouded leopards. Because this is such a significant birth and the first birth of 2023 for this vulnerable species, the SSP recommended the Zoo’s animal care experts hand-rear the kitten to ensure he thrives. Immediately following the kitten’s birth, the Zoo’s carnivore caretakers stepped in and began providing round-the-clock care for this little cloudie.
Caretakers report the kitten is healthy and doing everything a newborn should be doing – eating, sleeping and growing! As the kitten continues to grow strong, he will be making his way to another AZA-accredited facility to be another important ambassador for his species and hopefully have little cloudies of his own one day!
: Dr. Jennifer D.
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