Clouded Leopard - Five Sisters Zoo

The Clouded Leopard possesses a thick coat with a cream or white coloured belly, and a tan or light brown coat with distinctive cloud-like spot patterns. It has varying spot sizes, with smaller, solid black spots on the legs and belly and larger patches across the body that are outlined in black creating the cloud shape. Short, powerful legs support them in climbing trees and taking down prey. They are not able to purr or roar due to a difference in skeletal structure but have a range of vocalizations instead.

Facts

Diet: Carnivore; small to medium sized mammals, including slow loris, hog deer, Malayan pangolin and Indochinese ground squirrels.

Weight: 23kg for males, 10-20kg for females

Length: 60-90cm in body; 60-90cm in tail

Habitat: Bhutan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, and other portions of that region. Rainforests, deciduous forest and other forest types.

Life Span: 17 years under human care, 12-15 in the wild

Adapted to Survive

Elongated canines to help take down prey quickly; rotating ankles enable them to climb down trees headfirst; they have the longest tail in proportion to body size of any large cat and use it for balance in the trees.

Threats

Deforestation and human encroachment; habitat fragmentation; poaching; climate change

IUCN Conservation Status

Vulnerable

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