The clouded leopard is an extraordinary climber and can walk vertically down a tree trunk effortlessly thanks to its big paws and strong claws. [60], Clouded leopards have been kept in zoos since the early 20th century. These big cats can even hang upside down beneath large branches, using their large paws and sharp claws to secure a good grip. Two large blotches of dark dusky-grey hair on the side of the shoulders are each emphasized posteriorly by a dark stripe, which passes on to the foreleg and breaks up into irregular spots. Clouded leopards can be found in Borneo, Thailand, China, and Nepal. Clouded Leopards live in Southeast Asia in countries such as India, China, Thailand, Laos, Nepal and Viet Nam. [17] The upper pair of canines measure 4 cm (1.6 in) or longer. Where does the clouded leopard live? Share Tweet Pinterest Weibo. Elongated blotches continue down the spine and form a single median stripe on the loins. Neofelis nebulosa (Clouded Leopard) is a species of mammals in the family cats.They are listed as vulnerable by IUCN and in cites appendix i.They are found in the palearctic and the indo-malayan realm.They are carnivores.Individuals are known to live for 204 months and can grow to 836.74 mm. [23] Since then, individuals have been recorded in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park and in Annapurna Conservation Area. View Clouded leopard range in a larger map Captive clouded leopards have been observed to climb down vertical tree trunks head first, and hang on to branches with their hind paws bent around branchings of tree limbs. But in 1987 and 1988, four individuals were found in the central part of the country, close to Chitwan National Park and in Pokhara Valley. They have dexterous … The Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), also called the mainland clouded leopard or clouded tiger, is a wild cat inhabiting the Himalayan foothills, Southeast Asia, and southern parts of China. Males have the reputation of being aggressive towards females. [26][27][28][29] In Pakke Tiger Reserve, a clouded leopard was photographed for the first time in India. Adults usually weigh 30-50 pounds (13-23 kilograms). The male grasps the female by the neck, and the female responds with vocalization that encourages the male to continue. In northern Peninsular Malaysia, a male clouded leopard was photographed while carrying a binturong (Arctictis binturong) in its jaws. They are commonly found tropical rain forests of Nepal, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, China. Captive breeding programs were initiated in the 1980s. Gestation, in clouded leopards typically takes 86 to 93 days. Their vocalisations include a short high-pitched meow call, a loud crying call, both emitted when a cat is trying to locate another one over a long or short distance; they prusten and raise their muzzle when meeting each other in a friendly manner; when aggressive, they growl with a low-pitched sound and hiss with exposed teeth and wrinkled nose. They are probably solitary animals, like most cats. Clouded Leopards live in the rainforests and Himalayan foothills of South-Southeast Asia and China. [38][39][40] In Laos, it was recorded in Nam Et-Phou Louey National Protected Area in dry evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. [6] Take a walk on the wild side, and answer some questions about clouded leopards! In areas where clouded leopards share their habitat with tigers and common leopards, cloudeds seem to be more nocturnal and arboreal in their habits to avoid competition for food. There are small populations in Nepal, mostly in the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park. [65] In May 2015, four cubs were born in Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. [19] Skins, claws, and teeth are offered for decoration and clothing, bones and meat as substitute for tiger in traditional Asian medicinesand tonics, and live animals for the pet trade. Early accounts depict it as a rare, secretive, arboreal, and nocturnal inhabitant of dense primary forest. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/clouded-leopard.html. The first clouded leopard known to science was brought to London from China in the early 19th century and described in 1821. They along with the Diard’s cat (Neofelis diardi) are a sister genus to the Panthera genus and are more closely related to tigers and … [57], In Myanmar, 301 body parts of at least 279 clouded leopards, mostly skins and skeletons, were observed in four markets surveyed between 1991 and 2006. [18], The clouded leopard occurs from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal, Bhutan and India to Myanmar, southeastern Bangladesh, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, to south of the Yangtze River in China. Its pupils contract into vertical slits. [19] They are threatened by habitat loss following large–scale deforestation and commercial poaching for the wildlife trade. The underparts and legs are spotted, and the tail is marked by large, irregular, paired spots. The Clouded Leopard has a grayish brown coat made distinctive with black and dark grey spots. [8], Felis diardi proposed by Georges Cuvier in 1823 was based on a clouded leopard skin from Java. Clouded leopards are arboreal and nocturnal inhabitants. Clouded leopards live throughout southern China, the eastern Himalayan Mountains, south-east Asia, and some parts of Indonesia. (PCH.GWY.NO.17000)! [13] They are capable of supination and can even hang down from branches only by bending their hind paws and their tail around them. The clouded leopard is one of the most arboreal of all cats. All rights reserved. The canine teeth are exceptionally long, the upper being about three times as long as the basal width of the socket. The total number in Sumatra could be in the range of 3,000 to 7,000 … They have a very long tail with relatively short legs and large paws, which helps them … [13] This beautiful Asian cat, named for its spotted coat, is seldom seen in the wild, and its habits remain a bit mysterious. Males are larger at 81 to 108 cm (32 to 43 in) with a tail 74 to 91 cm (29 to 36 in) long. Mating usually occurs between December and March. Each cub weighed 0.5 lb (0.23 kg). They are aided in their hunting by the largest canine teeth (proportionate to body size) of any wild cat. Facilities breeding clouded leopards need to provide the female with a secluded, off-exhibit area. Clouded leopards weigh between 11.5 and 23 kg (25 and 51 lb). Effective implementation and enforcement of CITES is considered inadequate. Few poaching incidents have been documented, but all range states are thought to have some degree of co… Clouded leopards have short, powerful legs equipped with rotating rear ankles that allow them to safely downclimb in a headfirst posture—much like a common squirrel. The international studbook was initiated in the 1970s. The mainland species (N. nebulosi) lives in the mountains and … It is therefore listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2008. Clouded Leopards are good climbers and are able to climb upside down and hanging up due to their strong back legs and stability. Analysis of hair samples of the cat from Nepal results indicate that the where do clouded leopards live! Are typically rain-forest dwellers but can be found living in mangrove swamps and grasslands climb vertical... 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