Rare leopard cubs born!

From National Geographic:

Nine lives still intact, two newborn clouded leopard cubs (above) were found Tuesday morning in their mother's enclosure at a Virginia conservation center. Unlike many captive clouded leopard babies, they have not been killed or neglected by their mother.

The half-pound (0.2 kilogram) cubs, which had been eagerly awaited for almost a week, are a victory for scientists working to thwart aggressive behavior in captive clouded leopards.

For reasons still unknown, breeding clouded leopards in captivity usually turns bloody. Males often kill their mates, and females tend to neglect their cubs or inadvertently kill them.

That's why new mom Jao Chu and dad Hannibal were hand raised together from six months of age at the National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia.

Now their offspring—the first clouded leopard litter in 16 years at the center—shows that such hand rearing is successful.

Maybe they could reduce aggression by not naming them Hannibal! PS - Look at those claws! Awww..