Tagged: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

(Update with new photo and video)

Chai Li, a female clouded leopard at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, gave birth to a litter of two cubs Tuesday. Staff had been on a round-the-clock pregnancy watch of the 23-month-old clouded leopard for the past 24 hours.

This is Chai Li’s first litter. She and the cubs’ father, 23-month-old Nah Fun, were born at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand and put together as a future breeding pair when they were five days old.

An early morning fire has damaged the iconic, nearly 100-year-old Pagoda structure inside Tacoma's Point Defiance Park, but Metro Parks officials believe the brick building can be repaired. It will just take awhile; though exactly how long will not be known until inspectors can get into the building to assess the damage. The building is insured.

Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum told The News Tribune the fire is "suspicious in origin."

Java, a 12-year-old, an endangered Sumatran tiger, is leaving his home at Tacoma's Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium to find love at the Dallas Zoo. His keepers tried to mate him with the zoo's female tiger, Jaya, but that didn't work out and she mated with Java's brother, Bali, instead. Jaya gave birth to cubs Bima and Mali last May.