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© Alain Compost / WWF
Clouded leopards
The clouded leopard is more at home in the trees than on the ground and can move nimbly through the dense forests of southeast Asia and the eastern Himalayas. The exact numbers of this secretive cat are not known but they are believed to be in decline due to habitat loss and poaching.
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Common name
common title
Clouded leopard; Panthèr longibande (Fr); Pantera nebulosa (Sp)
Geographic place
habitat
Subtropical/Tropical Moist Forests
Population
population
Estimated 10,000
Latin name
scientific name
Neofelis nebulosa; Neofelis diardi (Bornean)
Weight
weight
Between 11 and 20 kg
Leopard
© David Lawson / WWF-UK
Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
© Russia, Altai Sayan ecoregion
Snowleopard
© naturepl.com /Francois Savigny / WWF
Snow leopard portrait (Panthera uncia)
Physical Description
The clouded leopard is named after the distinctive 'clouds' on its coat - ellipses partially edged in black, with the insides a darker colour than the background colour of the pelt.
The base of the fur is a pale yellow to rich brown, making the darker cloud-like markings look even more distinctive.
The limbs and underbelly are marked with large black ovals, and the back of its neck is conspicuously marked with two thick black bars.
The clouded leopard is a medium-sized cat, 60 to 110 cm long and weighing between 11 and 20kg.
It does, however, have an exceptionally long tail for balancing, which can be as long as the body itself, thick with black ring markings.
The clouded leopard has a stocky build and, proportionately, the longest canine teeth of any living feline.
Well adapted to forest life, the clouded leopard also has relatively short legs and broad paws which make it excellent at climbing trees and creeping through thick forest. It can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first.
The base of the fur is a pale yellow to rich brown, making the darker cloud-like markings look even more distinctive.
The limbs and underbelly are marked with large black ovals, and the back of its neck is conspicuously marked with two thick black bars.
The clouded leopard is a medium-sized cat, 60 to 110 cm long and weighing between 11 and 20kg.
It does, however, have an exceptionally long tail for balancing, which can be as long as the body itself, thick with black ring markings.
The clouded leopard has a stocky build and, proportionately, the longest canine teeth of any living feline.
Well adapted to forest life, the clouded leopard also has relatively short legs and broad paws which make it excellent at climbing trees and creeping through thick forest. It can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first.
Clouded leopard (Neofilis nebulosa). Clouded leopards are heavily hunted for their teeth, bones and unique coats.
Priority species
The clouded leopard is a WWF priority species. WWF treats priority species as one of the most ecologically, economically and/or culturally important species on our planet. And so we are working to ensure such species can live and thrive in their natural habitats.
Where does the clouded leopard live?
The clouded leopard is found across Southeast Asia and the Himalayas in the following countries: southern China, Bhutan, Nepal, northeast India, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Bangladesh. It is believed to be extinct in Taiwan, China.
View Clouded leopard range in a larger map
Habitat and ecology
Throughout its range, the clouded leopard spends most of the time in the tropical evergreen rainforests but can also be found in dry tropical forests and mangrove swamps. It has been found at relatively high altitudes in the Himalayas.
View Clouded leopard range in a larger map
Habitat and ecology
Throughout its range, the clouded leopard spends most of the time in the tropical evergreen rainforests but can also be found in dry tropical forests and mangrove swamps. It has been found at relatively high altitudes in the Himalayas.
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Priority region
The clouded leopard's habitat is part of the Borneo Forests region, which is a WWF global priority region.
What are the main threats to the clouded leopard?
Habitat loss and defragmentationDeforestation in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia is the most serious threat to the clouded leopard. The species natural habitat has been fragmented and decreasing at a rate of 10% per year since 1997.
Poaching and illegal wildlife trade
The clouded leopard is widely hunted for its teeth and decorative pelt, and for bones for the traditional Asian medicinal trade. Clouded leopard pelts have been reported on sale in markets in China, Burma, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Thailand. They have also been featured on the menu of restaurants in Thailand and China which cater to wealthy Asian tourists.
Human-leopard conflict
Like many other big cat species the clouded leopard is often killed as retaliation for killing livestock. Learn more about human-leopard conflicts.
Mr. Anusit Kanjanapol (standing, centre) leads the Royal Thai Customs Officers team who confiscated 205kg of tiger, clouded leopard and panther carcasses which would have fetched US$17,650 on the black market.
What WWF is doing
To protect clouded leopards and other big cats in Bhutan, WWF and local wildlife authorities are working together to establish anti-poaching units and strengthen anti-poaching law enforcement.
In addition to poaching, WWF and its partners are addressing human-wildlife conflict by setting up a compensation fund for local farmers whose livestock is often killed by tigers and leopards.
WWF projects that support this work:
In addition to poaching, WWF and its partners are addressing human-wildlife conflict by setting up a compensation fund for local farmers whose livestock is often killed by tigers and leopards.
WWF projects that support this work:
- Big cat protection in Bhutan
- Kayan Mentarang National Park, East Kalimantan
- Lower Mekong Dry Forests Ecoregion Action Programme
WWF and other organisations are using camera traps to better understand clouded leopards and assess their conservation status.
How you can help
- Adopt a clouded leopard (WWF-US) to support conservation work to protect this species.
- Spread the word! Click on the button to share this information with others via email or your favourite social networking service.
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Did you know?
- The clouded leopard has the proportionately largest canine teeth of any member of the feline family.
- In 2007 it was found that the clouded leopard on Borneo is a different species to its relative on the Asian mainland.
- The clouded leopard can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first.
Species & sub-species
Currently three subspecies of the clouded leopard are recognized:
- Neofelis nebulosa brachyurus found in Taiwan, China - thought to be extinct in the wild
- Neofelis nebulosa macrosceloides found from Nepal to Burma
- Neofelis nebulosa nebulosa found from Southern China to eastern Burma