Future looks “cloudy” at Exmoor Zoo

After surviving closures and the pandemic, Exmoor Zoo is faced with a “cloudy” future – and what’s more, all the staff are delighted!

The future in question is the zoo helping to breed the rare Clouded Leopard from South East Asia. First discovered in 1821, numbers of Clouded Leopards are declining rapidly in the wild due to hunting for fur and the continuing destruction of their habitats, particularly for palm oil plantations.

The zoo has welcomed two Clouded Leopards named Tae and Prinzessin and it is hoped that the pair will prove to be compatible and will have cubs in the near future.

Danny Reynolds, the zoo’s curator, said: “We could not be happier. We could not wish for a better Valentine’s Day present, although introductions will be made very carefully, early signs indicate that they are eager to meet and are already communicating and calling to each other from adjacent enclosures.”

As part of the breeding project, Exmoor Zoo is looking to educated visitors about the issues around Palm Oil and how they can help leopards like Tae and Prinzessin by being more aware of the food they are buying.

Danny said: “Humans are having a huge impact on this planet, but we can make simple lifestyle choices which will benefit us and nature. Not using palm oil for example. You can use the QR code below to find out more and perhaps these will still be in the wild for our children to enjoy in a hundred years.”