Clouded leopard

The main threat for clouded leopards is habitat loss due to deforestation for agricultural purposes.

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Clouded leopard males typically weigh up to 50 pounds, and females typically weigh up to 35 pounds.
These cats’ short legs give them a lower center of gravity, which aids in climbing. They also have specialized rotating joints in their ankles, which allows the ankle to rotate backward. This enables them to go down a tree headfirst.
They have larger canine teeth in proportion to their body size than any other wild cat.
They have incredible eyesight and binocular vision.
The length of the tail is nearly equivalent to the length of the rest of the body.
Their patterned coats provide camouflage in their forest habitat. This camouflage assists in stalking prey and helps clouded leopards stay hidden from predators.
Clouded leopards are considered primarily nocturnal, but both diurnal and crepuscular activity patterns have also been observed.

Range – Southeast Asia (Nepal, southern China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Bhutan, and some areas of northeastern India)
Habitat – lowland tropical rainforests, shrubland

Wild – Fish, monkeys, small deer, wild boars, birds and rodents
Zoo – One to two pounds of commercially prepared beef diet, supplemented on occasion with whole carcass foods for enrichment
- - One day a week the clouded leopard receives only a bone, as a clouded leopard in the wild would not eat every day. Bones are also an excellent way for cats to keep their teeth and gums healthy and are enriching because they require more time to process than meat.

Wild – 11 years
Zoo – up to 17 years; median life expectancy in AZA facilities is about 13 years.

Clouded leopards are sexually mature by 2 years of age.
Gestation is around 85-95 days, but it can last up to 109 days.
A litter is generally produced once a year. Most litters consist of one to five cubs, but two is most common.
Cubs are weaned around 5 months old and are independent at about 10 months old.
Clouded leopards are one of the most challenging animals to breed in zoological settings due to extreme aggression between males and females. Many facilities experience better success if the pair is introduced before the age of 1.

Because they are so secretive and most of our knowledge comes from clouded leopards in zoological settings, wild population sizes are difficult to estimate.
The primary threat impacting clouded leopard populations is habitat loss due to deforestation for agricultural conversion. They are also hunted for their fur and bones for medicinal purposes and culinary trade.
Although clouded leopards are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and are protected from hunting, these regulations are rarely enforced.
In their native range, clouded leopards are one of the top predators, especially where leopards and tigers are absent. Clouded leopards play a key role in controlling populations of various prey species, which limits the impact these populations have on the ecosystem.
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Clouded leopards are some of the best climbers of the Felidae family. They can climb upside down along the underside of branches and can also hang from branches using their hind feet. They are also very capable swimmers.
They are capable of hunting in the trees, but most of their hunting occurs on the ground. Whether in trees or on the ground, clouded leopards will stalk quietly and pounce quickly.
Most hunting occurs at night. During the day, clouded leopards are often found resting in the trees.
Despite their name, clouded leopards are not a type of leopard. They are a separate wild cat species, as are the leopard and snow leopard.
Clouded leopards are unable to roar, but they do growl, hiss, and chuff.
In China, clouded leopards are known as mint leopards (their spots are thought to resemble the shape of mint leaves). In Malaysia, they are known as tree tigers.
Clouded leopards are very secretive and not often seen in the wild. Therefore, very little is known about the social structure of wild clouded leopards. They are believed to be solitary, like most other cats, except for mating encounters and raising cubs.

Grassman, L., Lynam, A., Mohamad, S., Duckworth, J.W., Bora, J., Wilcox, D., Ghimirey, Y., Reza, A. & Rahman, H. (2016). Neofelis nebulosa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved May 5, 2020 from: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14519/97215090
Holmes, K. and P. Myers. (2009). Neofelis nebulosa. Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved May 5, 2020 from: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Neofelis_nebulosa.html
San Diego Zoo Global. (2020). Clouded Leopard. Retrieved May 5, 2020 from: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/clouded-leopard
Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. (2020). Clouded Leopard. Retrieved May 5, 2020 from: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/clouded-leopard
The Clouded Leopard Project. (2011). About the Clouded Leopard. Retrieved May 5, 2020 from: http://www.cloudedleopard.org/about_main

Updated June 2020