Photo - Feline Conservation Center
Body Length(mm) -750-1100
Weight (kg) - 16-20
Litter Size - 2-4 average
Life Span - 11-17 years
Status - Vulnerable
N.n.brachyurus - Taiwan
N.n.diardi - Borneo, Malay Peninsular
N.n.macrosceloides - Nepal, Burma
N.n.nebulosa - S.China, Indochina
clouded leopard is sufficiently distinct from other
members of the Felidae family, due mainly to the unique
shape of its skull, to be placed in a separate genus -
Neofelis. Outwardly the cat is immediately recognisable
by its distinctive coat patterning. The base colour of
the fur is pale yellow/brown and is marked on the body by
large irregular shaped markings, each dark brown/black
around the edge and lighter in the middle and it is this
cloud pattern that give the cat its name. The
undersides and short, stout legs are usually spotted and
the head and neck streaked with black/dark brown. In
overall size the clouded leopard is similar to that of a
small leopard, reaching up to 38 inches in body length,
whilst having an extremely long tail, measuring up to
nearly 3 feet on the largest of the species. The clouded
leopard also has the largest canine teeth in proportion
to its body size of any of the cat family.
Native to South Eastern Asia, the habitat of the clouded leopard is generally that of dense tropical forest up to a height of 7,000 feet, however recent reports indicate that the cat may also inhabit more open forested terrain and swamp margins. A distinct sub-species known as the Formosan clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa brachyurus) is reported to be found only on Taiwan - however lack of recent sightings suggest that the loss of natural habitat and decline of its prey base may indicate that this sub-species may now be extinct in the wild.
It is an extremely good climber, aided by the balancing effect of its long tail and supple ankle joints - in captivity the clouded leopard has been observed hanging from overhanging branches by its rear legs. Although in part arboreal, the clouded leopard hunts mainly on the ground at night. Its prey includes deer, goats, wild pig, reptiles, and birds. Monkeys are also on the prey list and it may be that these are hunted off the ground.
Throughout its range the animal has been heavily hunted for its distinctive fur and for its teeth and bones which, as with the tiger, are commonly used in Oriental medicine preparations. This coupled with the loss of habitat, mainly due to deforestation, has led to the animal being endangered. It is listed in CITES Appendix 1.