Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)

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Clouded leopard

The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), also called mainland clouded leopard, is a wild cat inhabiting dense forests from the foothills of the Himalayas through Northeast India and Bhutan to mainland Southeast Asia into South China.

Clouded leopard distribution map 2021

In a nutshell

• The clouded leopard is a wild cat that lives in the forests of Asia, from the Himalayas to Indonesia.
• It has a distinctive coat pattern with large blotches and spots that resemble clouds.
• It is the first cat that diverged from the common ancestor of the big cats, about 9 million years ago
• It is not closely related to either the true leopards or the true small cats, and it cannot roar or purr.
• It is one of the best climbers among the cats, and can hang upside down from branches and descend trees headfirst.
• It has the largest canine teeth relative to its body size of any cat, which help it hunt prey such as deer, pigs, monkeys, squirrels and birds.
• It is a vulnerable species, threatened by habitat loss and poaching for its fur and body parts.
• It is rarely seen in the wild, and little is known about its behavior and ecology.

See also

• Blog:International Clouded Leopard Day 2023