The clouded leopard is a small medium sized exotic cat that
lives in the forests of Asia. Clouded leopards are very very secretive
making it very difficult to study and learn about this interesting leopard.
Most of what we know about this wild cat is what has been learned from the small
captive populations. Male clouded leopards weigh up t about 50 pounds
while females are quite a bit smaller with an average size of about 35-30
pounds.
Clouded leopards are one of the best climbers in the cat family.
They climb upside down under tree branches and hang from branches with their
hind feet.
The Clouded Leopard has some unique features that help it do these unusual
things.
Their legs are short and stout, providing excellent leverage and a low center
of gravity while climbing.
Large paws with sharp claws allow them to get a solid grip on tree branches.
The back feet have flexible ankle joints that lets the foot rotate quite a
bit. Because of this feature clouded leopards can run head first down a tree
just like a squirrel.
Their tail gets up to three feet long which is about the same length at their
whole body. This makes their balance really good.
The clouded leopard has very long canine teeth. These canines are longer in
proportion to body size than those of any other species of exotic cat.
Habitat and Distribution:
Clouded Leopards have been seen around the foothills of the Himalayas at about
9000 feet.
Clouded leopards are mostly found in lowland tropical rainforest habitats, but
can also be found in dry woodlands and secondary forests.
Range countries historically included most of Southeast Asia from Nepal and
southern China through Thailand, Indonesia, and Borneo.
Currently four subspecies are recognized: 1. Southern China to East Burma 2. Nepal to
Burma 3. Sumatra, Borneo and Java
and the 4th being Taiwan which is believed to be extinct.
Reproduction:
Captive breeding programs of the clouded leopard have run into some difficult
obstacles. One being that the pairs are often so aggressive that sometime the
female ends up being killed. The common practice now it to introduce potential
pairs before they reach the age of one. That seems to be helping. The clouded
leopard is one of the more difficult cats to breed in captivity.
Clouded leopards are sexually mature at about 2 years old. Mating occurs any
month of the year in the wild
Gestation is about 83 and 95 days
Litter have 1 to 5 cubs
Cubs are independent at approximately 10 months of age.
Females could have one litter every year.
Behavior:
Clouded Leopards are carnivores so are all exotic cats
They hunt a variety of prey including birds, squirrels, monkeys, deer, and
wild pigs.
People used to think that clouded leopards hunted in the trees
People now think that some hunting happens in the trees, but that most hunting
is on the ground.
Clouded Leopards rest and lounge in the tress during the day.
Pretty much nothing is known of the social behavior of the clouded leopards in
the wild.
It is believed that they are solitary except when with a mate while breeding
or when a female has cubs. But again so little is really known about this cat
in the wild it is hard to be sure.
People used to think the clouded leopards were strictly nocturnal
Evidence suggests that in fact they may be active during some parts of the
daytime as well.
Conservation Status:
The clouded leopard is listed as endangered under the United States Endangered
Species Act, as an Appendix I endangered species by CITES, and vulnerable by
IUCN.
It is protected from hunting in most countries.
This protection is NOT well enforced at all.
Clouded leopard numbers are believed to be declining rapidly.
Because this cat is so secretive exact population numbers are hard to
estimate.
Please do an internet search on
Clouded Leopards and learn all you can about the fascinating exotic cat. While
you are learning also find something that YOU can do to participate in saving
this magnificent cat from extinction. Extinction is forever, it cannot be
reversed.
YOU CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
SPECIE SURVIVAL OR EXTINCTION
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