Clouded leopard: status, range, size and diet
A tree-climbing forest cat of the Himalayan foothills and mainland Southeast Asia with huge canines and cloud-shaped markings, listed as Vulnerable.
Also known as Neofelis nebulosa, mainland clouded leopard
At a glance
| Scientific name | Neofelis nebulosa |
|---|---|
| Group | Big cats |
| Weight | About 11.5-23 kg |
| Length | Head and body about 69-108 cm, tail 61-91 cm |
| Known for | Canine teeth relative to skull size among the longest of any living cat, and a climber that can hang from branches by its hind feet. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Vulnerable |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2021 |
Where it lives
| Range | Himalayan foothills of Nepal, Bhutan and India through Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and southern China, and Peninsular Malaysia |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Dense evergreen and mixed forest, mostly in lowlands and hills |
| Diet | Macaques, deer, porcupines, squirrels, pheasants and other birds, and small mammals |
Main threats
- Deforestation
- Poaching for skins and bones
- Illegal wildlife trade
- Snaring
About
The clouded leopard is a medium-sized cat that belongs to its own genus, set apart from the big cats that roar. Its coat is pale grey to tawny, marked with large, irregular, dark-edged patches that give the animal its name. The legs are short, the paws broad and the tail long and thick, all of which suit a life in the trees.
It is an exceptional climber. It can descend a trunk head first, hang from a branch by its hind feet, and use its tail to balance on thin limbs. The canines are very long for its size, around four centimetres or more in the upper jaw.
Where it lives and what it eats
Clouded leopards live in the forests along the southern edge of the Himalaya and across mainland Southeast Asia, including parts of southern China. They have disappeared from Taiwan and Singapore. For many years the clouded leopard of Borneo and Sumatra was treated as the same species, but in 2006 genetic and body evidence showed that it is separate, and the island animal is now called the Sunda clouded leopard.
The cat hunts both on the ground and among branches. Reported prey includes macaques, small deer, porcupines, squirrels, pheasants and other birds, and it is thought to be most active at night and around dawn and dusk, though it is hard to observe.
Threats and conservation
The IUCN lists it as Vulnerable, in an assessment completed in 2021. Forest clearing across its range is the leading cause of decline. Clouded leopards are also killed for their skins and bones, which are sold in illegal wildlife markets, and for the live animal trade. Snares set for other animals catch them by accident.
The species is protected by law in most range states, and international trade is banned. Conservation groups run camera-trap surveys, support forest protection and work with local patrols to find and remove snares. Because the cats are secretive, population numbers are uncertain.
Cats and people
The clouded leopard has long been hunted for its pelt, bones and other parts. It almost never threatens people or livestock. It has been kept in zoos since the early twentieth century, breeding programmes began in the 1980s, and more than sixty institutions kept the species by 2014.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026