Clouded leopard
(Neofelis nebulosa)
Size (Males are larger)
Male
Body length – 81 to 108 cm Tail length – 74 to 91 cm Weight 16 kg
Females
Body length from 68.6 to 94 cm Tail length 61 to 82 cm Weight 16 kg
- It is a medium-sized wild cat, midway between big cats and small cats
- Coat look like clouds
- It is the State animal of Meghalaya
- Occur from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into southern China.
- 2 distinct sub species are found – Neofelis nebulosa (Mainland Leopard), Neofelis diardi (Sunda Clouded Leopard- Borneo, Indonesia)
- It has short limbs compared to the other big cats. Hind limbs are longer than its front limbs to allow for increased jumping and leaping capabilities.
- Its paws are very large, also the ulnae and radii bones are not fused, which also contributes to a greater range of motion when climbing trees and stalking prey.
- It has exceptionally long Canine teeth, upper pair of canines measure 4 cm or longer.
- Often referred to as a “modern-day sabre-tooth” because it has the largest canines in proportion to its body size with a wide gape mouth.
- It is a Solitary cat and nocturnal inhabitant of dense primary forest.
- While on hunt it adopts stalk and chase from tree to tree
- Preys on slow loris, porcupine, hog deer, pangolin
- Both males and females average 26 months at first reproduction.
- During sexual encounters, males tend to bite the female on the neck during courtship, which occasionally kills the female
- Gestation period of 93 ± 6 days
- Litter size – 1 – 5, mostly 3 cubs
- Weaning period – around 3 months
- In 2008 IUCN has enlisted clouded leopard as Vulnerable
- Total population is fewer than 10,000 mature individuals
- It is poached for – fur, bones and claws and pet trade
- International Clouded Leopard Day is celebrated each year on 4 August since 2018. Zoos and conservation organisations all over the world celebrate this day.