Lufkin’s Ellen Trout Zoo welcomes another pair of Clouded Leopard cubs

LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Lufkin’s Ellen Trout Zoo welcomed two new Clouded Leopard cubs on Sept. 27.

The zoo posted pictures of the cute cubs on its Facebook page Thursday.

‘The cubs, now two weeks old, have been doing very well under the care of their mother Saffron,” the Facebook post stated. “You may recall that her previous cubs were hand-reared when Saffron showed no interest in caring for them. This time, we are pleased to announce that she is caring for the cubs.”

Source: Ellen Trout Zoo Facebook page(Ellen Trout Zoo)

According to the post, a round-the-clock watch via live video monitoring was initiated prior the cubs’ births. The zoo’s staff was ready to step in if there were complications or if the cubs were in distress.”

“Although Saffron, at times, shows her inexperience as a mother, the cubs are strong, nursing, and doing well,” the Facebook post stated. “We are very encouraged by Saffron’s care of the cubs, and she had already surpassed other recent parent-rearing attempts.”

The zoo’s Facebook post stated that Clouded Leopards have proven to be a challenging species because few are successfully parent-reared in zoos.

“Remote viewing continues so that we can monitor the family and the cubs’ development without disturbing them,” the Facebook post stated. “The family will remain in seclusion while their father, Indy, may be seen on display in their habitat.”

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