It is unfortunate that the beauty of some animals can lead to poaching. One of the most beautiful cats is the Clouded Leopard that lives in woodlands, mangrove swamps, and tropical rainforests.

Mongabay reports that Chris Sheppard of TRAFFIC, (Trades Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce), explains: “this species is a classic example of one that is being decimated by illegal trade, yet [it is] not a focus or priority for conservation organizations.”

One species of this midsize cat is found in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Myanmar; where hunting is illegal. While another lives in Borneo and Sumatra. Both species are listed as Vulnerable to Extinction on the IUCN, (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), Red List.

Habitat loss, particularly in Sumatra and Borneo due to palm oil plantations, means the cat is rarely sighted. The illusive cat has been spotted on camera traps in India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand. The clouded leopard is also thought to be extinct in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Singapore.

Biology

It is the smallest of the big cats because of its shorter legs. Clouded leopard adults only weigh between 25 and 50 lbs (11.5 to 23 kg). Compared to a smaller cat like the lynx, it is only about 14 kg (or 30 lbs) heavier.

Very agile, it can climb down a tree headfirst due to its rotating ankles. Mongabay also reports that Bonnie Breitbeil of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) says: “They are phenomenal athletes. They can climb like no cat I’ve ever seen. They can hang from one paw; hang upside down. I have seen them do stuff that is just amazing!” Since they are arboreal hunters, they are very good at catching monkeys, and slow loris. Their diets also consists of deer and ground squirrel.

Clouded leopards have the largest canine teeth of the big cats by weight. These large teeth hang down 1.6 inches or 4 cm down past its regular teeth. Some have called them a modern version of the Sabretooth Tiger.

Unlike house cats, due to the shape of their skulls, they are not able to purr. Tigers, lions, and jaguars, are the same. They make gurgling growls rather than purr.

Conservation

There may be only between 5,500 and 10,000 of the cats left in the world. Thus, the species is in a fateful position. There may not be enough clouded leopards left living to ensure genetic viability. That is, lack of genetic diversity may lead to its extinction. Inbreeding can lead to genetic mutations like heart defects.

To ensure the world would still have the clouded leopards in the future, in the 1970s an international list of animals or a studbook was instituted as part of an American Species Survival Plan, European Endangered Species Programme, and a conservation breeding programme in India; as well as Global Conservation projects in Cambodia, and Thailand.

It has taken years for conservationists to discover that clouded leopards will not reproduce, only become aggressive when mating, if they are not kept together from a young age. Artificial insemination is also being used.

August 4^th is International Clouded Leopard Day!

Learn about Big Cats and purring

Sources

The clouded leopard: conserving Asia’s elusive arboreal acrobat. (2017, February 9, 2017). Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2017/02/the-clouded-leopard-conserving-asias-elusive-arboreal-acrobat/

Clouded leopard. (2015). National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/clouded-leopard

Clouded leopard. (2026, June 26). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clouded_leopard

Clouded leopards face alarming decline amid ‘genetic crisis,’ study warns. (2023, November 23). Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2023/11/clouded-leopards-face-alarming-decline-amid-genetic-crisis-study-warns/

Clouded leopard. (2026). Global Conservation. https://globalconservation.org/endangered-species/clouded-leopard

Can Big Cats Actually Purr? (2018, November 14). ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/these-are-the-largest-cats-known-to-purr