The Sacramento Zoo has added two clouded leopards, Serai and Rajasi, to Big Cat Row. The leopards were born in March 2011 at the Nashville Zoo and most recently lived in Miami. The zoo will hold a Clouded Leopard Party last Saturday with leopard-themed activities and a Serai trading card available for visitors, according to CBS News Sacramento.
The Sacramento Zoo is housing smaller cats with long tails and canines that help them balance in trees. These cats communicate with a purr and have special ankle bones allowing them to climb down trees headfirst. Anela Maderis, a staff member, said the zoo is continuing breeding efforts that began at Zoo Miami. Since the cats are older, Serai and Rajasi are being given alternating solitary time in their habitat to help them adjust, as reported by FOX40.
The Sacramento Zoo, which attracts around half a million visitors annually, including 50,000 school children, has added clouded leopards to its collection of big cats, which includes African lions, cheetahs, and jaguars. These leopards are vulnerable to poaching for their pelts. "They are occasionally killed when caught in snares," said Smith-Fagan, as mentioned by FOX40. For more information on the zoo's new additions and conservation efforts, as well as ticket details for the Clouded Leopard Party, visitors can visit the Sacramento Zoo's official website.
