Clouded Leopards

 The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosi) is a beautiful medium sized feline known for its distinctive cloud like pelage pattern.  This leopard is one of the most elusive felines and has rarely been observed in the wild and because of this most of the clouded leopard’s natural history is unknown.  Most of the ecological information that has been collected on this animal comes from anecdotes, status reports and the observations of their captive counterparts. The Clouded leopard population is threatened by habitat loss as well as illegal poaching for traditional Chinese medicine and the poaching of their prey.  Understanding the natural history and the ecological requirements of these felids is important for the application of effective management and conservation approaches to help their populations (2).

Photo Credit

                Clouded leopards are distributed throughout an extensive area of southern Asia in places such as Bhutan, India, Nepal, Burma, Cambodia, southern China, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Borneo (1) (4).  The clouded leopard is medium sized averaging about 24-44 lb, with a long body, short legs, and a remarkably long tail used for balance.  They have also developed the longest upper canines proportional to body size than any other living feline.  The canines also have a sharp posterior edge which caused these cats to be compared to the saber toothed tiger in 1884.  Clouded leopards use these teeth to kill their prey by piercing their prey in the back of the neck (4).  These cats have been documented to eat a diverse variety of prey mostly consisting of terrestrial and arboreal animals.  Established prey items for these felids consist of hog deer, bush-tailed porcupines, slow loris, Malayan pangolin, and the Indochinese ground squirrel (2).

 The range sizes for clouded leopards vary, females have a range of about 39.5 km^2 and males have a range of about 42.2 km^2.   Although annual ranges have shown to be 22.9-45.1 km^2 and the leopards travel an average of 1,932 meters a day.  No significant differences in activity have been found between male and female clouded leopards nor are there any significant differences in seasonal variation of activity between the wet and dry seasons.  However, a major factor that influences their range sizes would be prey availability and foraging activity.  Clouded leopards ranges do overlap but mostly between male and females however male ranges overlapping is considerable.  Their ranges include three foliage types: closed forest such as evergreen forests, open forest-grassland, and abandoned orchard as well as major streams and main paved roads.  Females are also reported to rear their young in tree hollow dens but not much is known about the rearing habits of clouded leopards in the wild.  Although the clouded leopards ranges overlap other larger felids have an effect on the leopard’s densities.  It was observed that in areas with larger populations of tigers and other leopards there were hardly any clouded leopards present (2).

 The Malaysian name for the clouded leopard means branch tiger which assumed the behavior of these felids to be arboreal and nocturnal (4).  However, with the combination of camera-trap photos and live trappings it’s suggested that clouded leopards travel on the ground more than what had been reported before (2).  There have been reports of clouded leopards being spotted up in the trees but this is most likely because the trees allow the leopard to keep up off the ground while resting (4). Although the clouded leopard’s arboreal talents are considerable to the point that it rivals the margay which is the best adapted cat for the arboreal life (2).

 Clouded Leopards display variation morphologically within its wide geographical range and is looked upon as comprising of up to four subspecies.  However, one study claims with results that are supported by genetic analysis that there is enough evidence to make a distinction of two species, one in mainland Asia (N. nebulosa) and the other in Indonesia (N. diardi).  The argument they make is that Clouded leopards from Borneo and Sumatra all have small cloud markings and tend to have many distinct spots within the cloud markings, grayer fur, and a double dorsal stripe.  In contrast to the large clouds of mainland leopards that tend to have fewer, often faint, spots within the cloud markings, and they are lighter in color, with a tendency toward tawny-colored fur and a partial double dorsal stripe (3).

Photo Credit

  Another study done by Buckley-Beason found molecular evidence that suggested that (N. diardi) was sufficiently different from the other subspecies to rank it as a species instead (1).  Kitchener claims that the Buckley-Beason study even supports the hypothesis of his study leading to a separate species (3).  An additional study also did something similar by comparing several different clouded leopards and came to the conclusion that the island populations diverge strongly from the mainland populations in a large number of cranial, mandibular, and dental characters.  This study also states “mainland populations diverge less from each other, and are congruent with 1 species (Neofelis nebulosa) and 2 subspecies, the western (N. n. macrosceloides) and eastern (N. n. nebulosa) clouded leopard” (1). 

 The clouded leopard is unique and is spread out all over Asia however, they still mostly remain a mystery.  The natural history of this feline is complex and the majority of it is still unknown although some studies are claiming to know enough to split subspecies into separate species.  Not very many studies about the clouded leopard have been published but it is so crucial that detailed research be conducted on this rare elusive animal before its gone.  The research and studies will help provide the ecological information needed to implement successful conservation. 

References