I have paired these photographs because they are very similar. Each photograph is of a couple of medium-sized wild cat siblings of different species.
Clouded leopard kittens
The clouded leopard kittens, a male and a female, were born on February 11th 2020 at the Miami-Date Zoological Park and Gardens (Zoo Miami). They are doing well. Although I don’t know why their tongues are sticking out. It may be the heat.
Staff at the zoo are taking special measures to avoid transmission of Covid-19 to them in light of Bronx Zoo tigers and lions catching the disease from a zookeeper or zookeepers. Their mother, Serai, was born in Virginia in May 2011 and their father, Rajasi, was born in the same year. It is always considered a success to get wild cats to breed in captivity as the stress of captivity inhibits it.
Clouded leopards live in the Far East.
Carcal kittens
The caracal kittens were born at the Wild Conservation Centre in Wilberforce, Australia. They have been named Kaia and Kato. The parents were apparently imported from South Africa. Remember that Australia has no native wild cat species. They are the first caracals to be bred in captivity in Australia. They will help to establish a conservation program for the species.
Comment: It is obviously better to establish a conservation program for caracals living in the wild in their habitat. I am cynical about zoos stating that they are involved in conservation. Conservation in zoos is second best to doing it in the wild. Why do we have to accept second best?
Caracals live on the African continent and the Middle East.
The kittens are gorgeous, of course. The style of the photos is similar. I have improved the image quality slightly as the photography is good. The caracal picture is by Gregg Porteous while the clouded leopards were photographed by Ron Magill.
SOME MORE ON THESE WILD CATS – THESE ARE SUMMARISED DETAILS IN PLAIN ENGLISH:
