The Wildcat Sanctuary welcomes Scarlet, a rare, endangered clouded leopard, home for the holidays!
A curator for a city zoo saw the posting about Bhutan the Snow Leopard on The Wildcat Sanctuary’s Facebook page and it inspired her to contact the Sanctuary about providing a home for their clouded leopard, Scarlet.
Scarlet is a 12 year old female that arrived at the zoo about a year ago with her male companion. Sadly, her companion died within a few months. Scarlet has been living in an indoor holding area since then and the zoo is having financial troubles, so they are unable to build an outdoor area for her. The curator wanted what was best for Scarlet, so she contacted The Wildcat Sanctuary.
Director Tammy Thies said, “What makes this rescue so special is how rare her breed is in the wild and in captive breeding programs. We are honored to provide Scarlet with the retirement home she deserves.”
Clouded leopards are considered endangered. As of 2011, there were only 69 clouded leopards living in 24 institutions that participate in the Clouded Leopard Species Survival Plan. Scarlet is no longer able to breed and is not a part of the Species Survival Plan. She will spend her years in retirement in a large, free-roaming habitat with indoor access at the Sanctuary. Being the best climber in the cat family, she will enjoy tree branches and high platforms in her habitat.
Clouded leopards live throughout the forests of Southeast Asia. The smallest of the big cats, they are secretive and rare in the wild, preferring to remain alone and hidden from view. They have the longest canines and tail, compared to body size. Even though they are small in stature, they are closely related to the big cats vs. small cats.
“We realize what a privilege it is to have a clouded leopard in our care,” she said. “We are currently giving her some privacy to settle in and to get to know her new home. This Thanksgiving, we are thankful we can give such an amazing cat a forever home where she can relax and live out her retirement.”
Scarlet will be undergoing her intake exam Wednesday and will remain in a quarantine area at the Sanctuary for 30 days before she is released into a free-roaming habitat. Trail cameras have been set up to document her activity while she acclimates to her new home.
The Wildcat Sanctuary (TWS) is a 501c3 non-profit, no-kill big cat rescue located in Sandstone, MN. TWS provides a natural sanctuary to wild cats in need and inspires change to end the captive wildlife crisis. TWS is funded solely on donations. The Sanctuary is a home for animals, not a zoo for people, and is not open to the public. Combining natural and spacious habitats with a life free of exhibition, TWS allows all residents to live wild at heart. As a true sanctuary, we do not buy, breed, sell or exhibit animals. The Wildcat Sanctuary is accredited by the American Sanctuary Association and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.
More information can be found at WildcatSanctuary.org
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