Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)

Clouded Leopard Photograph by Vearl Brown. Some rights reserved.

Description

The Clouded Leopard is a strikingly marked medium-sized Asian cat with a very long tail. The legs are comparatively short with large broad paws. The coat is pale yellow or brown with distinctive large rectangular blotches on the sides. The blotches have dark brown edges with lighter brown inside the blotches. The fur round and between the blotches is even paler. The underside is light brown or white with a few spots. The neck and back have dark brown or black streaks. The head has black spots and two black stripes on each cheek. The legs have black spots. The tail has thick fur and is patterned with broken black rings. The eyes are yellow.

Size

Head and body length 55cm - 110cm. Tail length: 75cm - 90cm. Weight: 15kg - 23kg.

Habitat

tropical forest, jungle, swampy areas away from human settlement

Food

The Clouded Leopard feeds on mammals such as deer, cattle, goats, wild pigs, monkeys. Also feeds on reptiles and birds. It hunts by stalking prey on the ground or ambushing in trees.

Breeding

The female Clouded Leopard gives birth to one to five kittens (average around 2) after a gestation period of 85 - 95 days. The litter is usually born in a hollow tree. The kittens weigh about 170g at birth and open their eyes after ten to twelve days. The kittens are yellowish-gray at birth and develop adult markings after about six months. The young start are fully weaned after about three to five months and are independent at nine months.

Range

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia (Sumatra, Kalimantan), Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.

Conservation Status

The conservation status in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals is "vulnerable".

Classification Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Genus: Neofelis Species: nebulosa

Relatives in same Genus   Bornean Clouded Leopard (N. diardi)

Clouded leopard face, close up Photograph by frank wouters. Some rights reserved.