TABLE OF CONTENTS - National Zoo

CLOUDED LEOPARD
(Panthera nebulosa)
Carnivore
Description: The clouded leopard is frequently described as bridging the gap
between big and small cats. It has very short legs and a long, bushy tail, and its coat
is brown or yellowish-gray and covered with irregular dark spots and blotches
resembling clouds. There are broad black bands on the face and large spots and
broad bands on the neck and legs; the tail also bears broad, dark bands at regular
intervals. It weighs 16 to 23 kg (35 to 50 lbs) and stands 25 to 41 cm (10 to 16
inches) high at the shoulder. It is a skilled tree-climber, even descending the trunks
with its head pointed downward. The skull is long, low, and narrow.
Teeth: Clouded leopards, like other cat species, have three pairs of incisors and one
pair of canines in both the upper and lower jaws. The upper canine teeth are the
longest, relative to its size, than those of any other living cat. There are 2-3
premolars in the upper jaw and two pairs in the lower jaw. The first upper premolar
is greatly reduced or absent, leaving a wide gap between the canine and the molars.
They have one pair of molars in both jaws, for a total of 28-30 teeth. Their last
upper molar is small and round.
Diet: The chief prey of the clouded leopard are monkeys, small deer, wild boars,
cattle, young buffalo, goats, birds, and even porcupines which it ambushes from the
trees or stalks from the ground. It may also take birds, rodents and domestic
poultry. The leopard depends primarily on animals that live on the ground for food.
Range: The clouded leopard lives in the evergreen rainforests at the foot of the
Himalayas throughout Indo-China, and on Taiwan, Hainan, Sumatra, and Borneo.
Habitat: Little is known about the clouded leopard in the wild. It was previously
thought to be highly arboreal based on anecdotal observations. However, there is no
field evidence to support this assumption. It now appears that trees are used
primarily for resting sites, and clouded leopard movements are typically terrestrial. It
prefers the deep forest far away from human habitation. It is known to Malaysians
as the “tree tiger.”
Social Organization: Because the clouded leopard is such a secretive forest animal,
much of the knowledge of its social behavior comes from observations in zoological
facilities. In captivity, they show a preference for monogamist pairings, which is very
unusual in felines. Mating pairs are most successful when animals are introduced
before their first year of age. After that time, introductions can be extremely
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