Rare Clouded Leopard Cubs Born at Denver Zoo [VIDEO]

The Denver Zoo announced Thursday the birth of two clouded leopard cubs. The two cubs, a male and a female, are the first members of the species (Neofelis nebulosa) to be born at the zoo.

The unnamed cubs were born March 14 and the zoo said they are doing well. However, animal keepers are having to raise the cubs by hand because their mother, a tigress named Lisu, did not begin to give them the care they need.

Zookeepers suspect that because Lisu, a first-time mother, was hand-reared herself, she does not have the experience or instinct to rear her own cubs.

Clouded leopards, despite their name, are not actually leopards. The unique cats have their own genus, Neofelis, which means "new cat."

According to the Denver Zoo, the species is considered a bridge between larger cats such as lions, tigers and small cats like ocelots and pumas.

"Their body lengths can range from about two to almost four feet long and they can weigh between 24 and 50 pounds," the Denver Zoo said in a statement. "Their tawny coats with distinctive 'cloud-shaped' dark blotches provide excellent camouflage in their forest habitat, enabling them to stalk prey and also hide from potential predators."

Clouded leopard are native to South Asia, including the India, Nepal, southern China and parts of Indonesia. The cats make their home in tropical and subtropical climates up to 6,500 feet above sea level.

Wild population estimates of clouded leopards are unclear, but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature lists the species as "vulnerable" on its seminal Red List of Threatened Species.

The Denver Zoo's two new clouded leopards will remain out of public view until they are older.