Key Facts about Clouded Leopard

About Clouded Leopard:

• It is a wild cat inhabiting dense forests of the Himalayas through mainland Southeast Asia into South China.
• There are two species of clouded leopards: the clouded leopard(Neofelis nebulosa) and the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi).
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It 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. 
  • Throughout its range, the clouded leopard spends most of its 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.
  • In India, it is found in Sikkim, northern West Bengal, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is the State animal of Meghalaya.
• Features:
  • It is a medium-sized cat, 60 to 110 cm long and weighing between 11 and 20kg.
  • It 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 fur base is a pale yellow to rich brown, making the darker cloud-like markings look even more distinctive.
  • It has a stocky build and, proportionately, the longest canine teeth of any living feline.
  • It has relatively short legs and broad paws, excelling at climbing trees and creeping through thick forests. 
  • It can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first.
  • It is a solitary animal.
• Conservation status: Both species are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ under the IUCN Red List.