Clouded Leopards in Australia

A

aw101

Well-Known Member
What is the current state of clouded leopards in Australia? I think only Taronga Zoo exhibits them and they were housed in an exhibit next to the tigers. I am aware that during their mating ritual the males are very aggressive towards the females and this has resulted in deaths or serious injury.
 
Ah yes; everyone's favourite cat - the clouded leopard.

What caused another promising breeding program to falter? Not enough zoos interested? Not enough founders? Did any zoo in the region ever have a pair, or were there only single animals held?

They really are the most beautiful of cats, but unfortunately are extremely nocturnal, and so are not really good exhibits. As you said, aw101, Taronga had one in a fairly dark enclosure near the tigers (until recently when, presumably, it died.) Taronga had also had one back in the 1960s which no-one ever saw but it's keepers. It lived in the enclosure now used for fennecs but spent all day in the den.

Can anyone add anything about Melbourne's old girl? Is she easily seen by the public?
If so, I must come down and pay my respects.
 
I saw her when I was there last year, she was asleep right at the back of the cage. Some other visitors looked at the sign saying 'clouded leopard' and went "Oh there's a koala in here" and started looking for the koala!
 
she's now on display in a tiny enclosure with the small cats, but since i couldn't see her in there - it makes me think she's given access to her den....

i have only seen her well a few times, the keepers feed her milk daily. she of course is a pretty cat, but not the best example of her species. she's quite grey all over and from memory her tail has lost its thick coat of fur and appears quite "thin" as a result. no doubt age related...

you best hurry up though - i think she's about twenty something.
 
Does Taronga not have theirs any more. I remember collecting browse for the pandas in the bamboo backing on to the clouded leopard cage and looking for it, then turning my head to see this gorgeous little pair of eys about a foot away just watching me.
 
i have an issue of ZooNooz somewhere from the 1990s featuring a pair of clouded leopards at Taronga Zoo. the female of the pair (who may have been siblings but may easily not have been) is the one at Melbourne (i think, again). the last Clouded Leopard at Taronga Zoo was a male who in his old age suffered a number of ailments including sinus infections.
the enclosure has since been used for fishing cats (its original purpose), porcupine and red pandas.
 
This was in 2005 . . . there was definately a clouded leopard there then. The sishing cats were up in the old dens with some true and an aged panda named mishra I think.
 
glyn said:
i have an issue of ZooNooz somewhere from the 1990s featuring a pair of clouded leopards at Taronga Zoo. the female of the pair (who may have been siblings but may easily not have been) is the one at Melbourne (i think, again). the last Clouded Leopard at Taronga Zoo was a male who in his old age suffered a number of ailments including sinus infections.
the enclosure has since been used for fishing cats (its original purpose), porcupine and red pandas.
Click to expand...

Correct, as usual glyn! I'm almost certain that they were sibs, but not 100% sure.
 
when i did work experience there in the carnivores unit in 2006 i asked about the clouded leopard and they told me it had died of old age.

it was around this time of year too but i hadn't see it on exhibit for about 6 months previous to that.

panthera-leo
 
and am I also correct in saying they were imported as young cubs and handreared? something in the back of my memory bank
 
All i know is that malbournes old girl (if she is still alive) is called Nonah.
 
Not Really About Clouded Leopards, but......

Does anyone know what is planned for the current Cats of Asia area at Taronga (you know, the old tiger cages which still house the last Asiatic golden cat :( and maybe some fishing cats.)
Are there any known plans to redevelop the area? Also, does anyone know what is in some of those old cages? Although they are screened off with bamboo they still seem to be occupied by something.
 
Ara said:
Does anyone know what is planned for the current Cats of Asia area at Taronga (you know, the old tiger cages which still house the last Asiatic golden cat :( and maybe some fishing cats.)
Are there any known plans to redevelop the area? Also, does anyone know what is in some of those old cages? Although they are screened off with bamboo they still seem to be occupied by something.
Click to expand...

The cages and the area behind them are now the site of the Zoo's invlolvement in the Tassie Devil recovery plans.
 
and long-term the location will become a semi-arid habitat as part of the Australian precinct of the ZOO2000 masterplan.
 
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