Clouded Leopard

Clouded Leopard

The intricate color patterns on these medium-sized cats provides excellent camouflage across a variety of habitats in southeastern Asia. Clouded leopards are secretive and mostly nocturnal and are adept climbers. In addition to habitat loss, they also face poaching for their pelts, bones and other body parts for traditional medicines.

Neofelis nebulosa

Carnivore

Eastern Asia, Southeast Asia [VIEW MAP]

Mountains, Rainforests

Clouded leopards can be a fun challenge to spot, as they are very well camouflaged and secretive. Take a few minutes to look very carefully among the rockwork and plants, and you just might be successful in finding this gorgeous animal. Late afternoons can be a good time to find the cat moving about. On colder or rainier days, our clouded leopard may choose to spend time in her indoor area.

Photos and Videos

Clouded leopards are one of the best climbers of the cat family. They can climb upside down along the underside of branches and can also hang from branches using their hind feet. They are capable of hunting in the trees, but most of their hunting occurs on the ground and at night. During the day, they are often found resting in the trees. Clouded leopards are not a type of leopard. They are a separate wild cat species, as are the leopard and snow leopard. Clouded leopards are unable to roar, but they do growl, hiss and meow. Also known as tree tigers or mint leopards in parts of Asia, these cats are very capable swimmers. However, because of their secretive nature, they are not often seen in the wild.

Clouded leopards range from about 25 to 55 pounds. Males typically weigh 35 to 40 pounds, and females weigh 25 to 30 pounds. Their short legs give them a lower center of gravity that aids in climbing. Like other highly arboreal animals, such as squirrels or binturongs, clouded leopards also have specialized rotating joints in their ankles, which allows the ankle to rotate 180 degrees. This enables them to go down a tree headfirst.

Clouded leopards have larger canine teeth in proportion to their body size than any other wild cat. The length of the tail is nearly equivalent to the length of the rest of the body. The distinctive patterned coat provides camouflage in the trees.

Clouded leopards are nocturnal, with peaks in activity near dawn and dusk. They are sexually mature by 2 years of age. Gestation lasts about 85 to 110 days, and a litter is generally produced once a year. Most litters consist of one to five cubs. Cubs are weaned at around 5 months old and are independent at about 10 months old.

Clouded leopards are one of the most challenging animals to breed in zoological settings due to extreme aggression between males and females, and many zoos experience better success if a pair is introduced before the age of 1.

Clouded leopards can be a fun challenge to spot, as they are very well camouflaged and secretive. Take a few minutes to look very carefully among the rockwork and plants, and you just might be successful in finding this gorgeous animal. Late afternoons can be a good time to find the cat moving about. On colder or rainier days, our clouded leopard may choose to spend time in her indoor area.

Clouded leopards live in southeastern Asia, primarily in Nepal, southern China, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Clouded leopards are closely associated with primary forest habitats. However, they are a bit unusual in that they have quite a wide elevational range, from sea level to over 9,000 feet in elevation up the southern flanks of the Himalayas, across which the local populations would live in differing forest types and climates.

Clouded leopards may eat birds, squirrels, monkeys, deer, pigs and porcupines. At the Zoo, we offer commercial beef diet supplemented on occasion with whole carcasses for enrichment. On some days, we offer only a large bone, as wild cats rarely encounter a full meal each day. These also help keep the teeth and gums healthy.

Zoo Atlanta is committed to helping find solutions to the ongoing threats of unsustainable palm oil production in places such as southeastern Asia. Finding less destructive ways to produce palm oil and other products will greatly benefit many species, including the clouded leopard.