Sunday, Aug. 4, was International Clouded Leopard Day. 

At the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo, Curator and Supervisor Ashley Burdick posted photos of the zoo’s clouded leopards, Harry and Ping.

“If you’ve been to the zoo in the last month or so, you may have seen that we moved the barricades just a little closer to the leopards,” Burdick wrote on Facebook. “On cooler days they can often be found lounging on the benches. We know everyone is eager to see them, but we want them to be comfortable and happy and our staff has worked tirelessly to help them through their transition to Kansas.”

There are fewer than 10,000 of these beautiful cats left in the wild, Burdick continued. Their numbers are dwindling due to habitat destruction and illegal poaching for their teeth, bones and coats. They are excellent at climbing and have 2-inch long canine teeth, which makes them great at taking down larger prey items. 

“When you visit, please remember to keep your voices down in their area; you are much more likely to get a glimpse if you aren’t yelling at them!”