Clouded Leopard

Clouded Leopard, medium-sized member of the cat family, native to the dense forests of southeast Asia. The clouded leopard is found from Nepal and Bhutan, west into southern China, and southeast through the Malay Peninsula onto the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Its coat is a pale to rich yellowish brown, with a pattern of dark-bordered, cloud-shaped markings on the flanks and hindquarters. It is also marked by two black bands on each side of the head, black spots on the legs, and black rings encircling the tail.

Male clouded leopards, which are larger than the females, weigh up to 23 kg (50 lb). Their head and body length may reach 1 m (3.2 ft), and the tail may be as long as 90 cm (3 ft). Shoulder height may be 53 cm (21 in).

In captivity, clouded leopards breed mostly in the fall and winter. One to four young are produced after a gestational period of about three months (86 to 92 days); a litter of two young is the most common. Clouded leopards commonly attain sexual maturity between 18 and 24 months of age. The animal’s maximum life span is about 16 years.

Once believed to be largely arboreal (tree dwelling), clouded leopards are now thought by some to spend much time on the ground, especially where the larger and usually hostile tigers and common leopards are scarce or absent. Clouded leopards feed on a variety of prey, including birds, monkeys, deer, and domestic goats and pigs.

Clouded leopards are vulnerable to extinction. They have traditionally been hunted and killed for their beautiful skins and for the use of their body parts in native medicine. Much of their forest habitat has also been destroyed by logging, agriculture, and human population expansion. They are thought to be already extinct in Bangladesh and Taiwan.

Scientific classification: The clouded leopard is a member of the family Felidae and is classified as Neofelis nebulosa.

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