Nova had escaped through a tear in the mesh of her enclosure.
DALLAS — Dallas Zoo employees on Friday morning went to check on the two clouded leopard sisters in their enclosure.
The only problem? One was missing.
Nova had escaped through a tear in the mesh of her enclosure.
As of early Friday afternoon, Nova was still missing, though officials believed she was likely still on the zoo property.
Fortunately, her sister, Luna, was safe and sound in the enclosure.
The two sisters are each 3-4 years old and 20-25 pounds, which is typical for adult female clouded leopards, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Here’s what we know about Nova, her sister and clouded leopards in general:
What is a clouded leopard?
Dallas Zoo officials emphasized the difference between a typical leopard and a clouded leopard.
Clouded leopards are smaller and not considered to be dangerous. In fact, the “code blue” issued by the Dallas Zoo when Nova went missing is for the search of non-dangerous animals.
How big is a clouded leopard?
It can vary greatly between genders. Male clouded leopards can weigh up to 50 pounds, while females, like Nova and Luna, weigh 20-25 pounds.
What is a clouded leopard’s life span?
Clouded leopard’s have a life span of 12-15 years but can live up to 17 years in human care, according to the Smithsonian zoo.
When did Nova and Luna come to Dallas?
The clouded leopard sisters were born in Houston and arrived in Dallas in 2021.
What are their personalities like?
In an update last March, zoologists described Luna as “a lot more comfortable in her new surroundings and she warms up faster to the people around her.”
Nova was still “a little aloof, which is very typical of the species,” one zoologist said.
“She’ll stay up high even when we’re in the habitat, but she’s definitely coming around a little bit more,” the zoologist said.
Nova, at the time, had started to make sounds that were more of a greeting, which is a common way clouded leopards express how they are feeling.
Nova, when scared, is likely to climb a tree, “hunt some squirrels and birds and hope not to be noticed,” said Harrison Edell, an executive vice president at the zoo.
“Thinking like a cat, she likely went straight up to the trees and has not come down,” Edell said.