With their tiny paws and delicate whiskers these adorable cubs are three of the rarest breed of leopard in the world.

Bred as part of a special conservation programme at Nashville Zoo, Tennessee, the cuddly clouded leopard cubs snuggle together to keep warm as they pose for the camera after being born just two weeks ago.

Clouded leopard Jing Jai gave birth to one female cub and fellow leopard Baylie gave birth to one male and one female - with all three now being hand-raised by the Zoo's specialists.

This breed is considered endangered because of deforestation, poaching and the pet trade.

Carnivore supervisor at Nashville Zoo Karen Rice said: 'The zoo is a leader in clouded leopard conservation - with 18 clouded leopards born at our off-exhibit breeding facility since 2009.

'These cubs, born [on] March 26, will remain a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums clouded leopard population as breeding cats, education or exhibit animals.


'Whatever role they play, they will contribute to the ongoing conservation effort.'

At just seven-years-old this is Jing Jai's sixth litter. Both she and mate Arun came from the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand in 2008.

This is the second birth for Baylie, aged four, and her mate Chet. Baylie was born at the National Zoo's Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, and Chet was one of three cubs born to Jing Jai and Arun at Nashville Zoo in 2009.


The zoo is a member of the Thailand Clouded Leopard Consortium which is an on-going collaboration with the National Zoo, Point Defiance Zoo, Clouded Leopard Species Survival Program and Zoological Park Organization of Thailand.

The programme aims to developed a 'self-sustaining captive population' of the endangered leopards.
Source