Clouded Leopard

There are two species of clouded leopard in the world, and GC sites have both of them! Just a few thousand individuals of both clouded leopard species remain across their ever-shrinking range in Asia.

Common Name:

Clouded Leopard

Scientific Name:

Neofelis nebulosa

IUCN Red List Status:

Vulnerable

Population (adults): 

3,700-5,580 (IUCN Red List 2020)

Weight: 

Up to 23kg (50 pounds)

Size:

Body 65 to 100cm (2 to 3 feet); tail up to 1 meter (3 feet)

Habitats:

Lowland tropical rainforests, dry woodlands, secondary forests, mangrove swamps

Threats: 

Habitat destruction and illegal poaching

Continent:

Asia

GC Sites:

Thap Lan World Heritage Site, Thailand

Cardamom National Park, Cambodia

Partners:

Thap Lan World Heritage Site: WCS Thailand, Thailand Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation

Cardamom National Park: Wildlife Alliance, Cambodia Ministry of Environment, Cambodia Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

The current and historical range of the clouded leopard. Map courtesy IUCN.

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Clouded leopards are one of the only cats in the world that can climb down, hang upside down from and hunt in trees. However, despite their ability to utilize trees for hiding and hunting, and having a coat with cloud-like patterns that help blend these cats into their environment, clouded leopards are on the decline. 

Global Conservation has been funding and supporting the implementation of  land conservation projects through patrolling and monitoring areas that ultimately help protect clouded leopards, their prey and their habitats across Southeast Asia. 

Did you know? Clouded leopards can open their jaws wider than any other cat, and their canine teeth are the longest relative to body size of any feline. A clouded leopard’s 2-inch-long (5 centimeters) canine teeth are the same size as a tiger's, even though a tiger is 10 times bigger!

Threats and Habitat Loss

It is estimated that less than 10,000 adult individuals still live in the wild and there is no single population of this species that includes more than 1,000 leopards. Illegal hunting for their skins and other body parts, habitat fragmentation due to human developments, and a lack of effective conservation efforts has led these animals to be listed as Vulnerable. 

Although they are officially protected in most countries where they live, enforcement in many areas is weak. The inability to successfully monitor clouded leopard habitat has made it hard to prevent people from illegally hunting them and destroying their habitat. 

Conservation Action

Clouded leopards live in various areas that Global Conservation protects, including Cambodia’s Central Cardamom Mountains National Park (CCNMP) and Thailand’s Thap Lan National Park.

CCNMP hosts the clouded leopard within its diverse array of ecosystems, ranging from dense forest to wetlands to a network of estuaries and rivers that tie sweeping mountains to the areas of Thailand that Global Conservation also works to protect.

To protect these Parks, Global Conservation has deployed Global Park Defense to help with protecting this continuous forest canopy and the flow of water from the forest to the coast in order to keep the clouded leopard's habitat intact. The team has assisted the Thailand Parks and Wildlife Department to arrest over 500 illegal loggers in Thap Lan World Heritage Park, which has prevented further destruction of the clouded leopard’s home.

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Sunda Clouded Leopard

Common Name:

Sunda Clouded Leopard

Scientific Name:

Neofelis diardi

IUCN Red List Status:

Vulnerable

Population (adults): 

4,500 (IUCN Red List 2015)

Weight: 

11.8 to 25kg (26 to 55 lbs)

Size:

69 to 108 cm (2.3 to 3.5 ft)

Habitats:

Lowland rainforest, mangroves and peat swamp forests, and hilly and mountainous areas

Threats: 

Loss of habitat due to deforestation, illegal trade, used in Asian medicine

Continent:

Asia

GC Sites:

DaMaI World Heritage Site, Sabah, Malaysia

Leuser Ecosystem, Sumatra, Indonesia

Partners:

Leuser: Forum Konservasi Leuser

DaMal: Sabah Environmental Trust, Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Foundation, Sabah  Department of Wildlife

The Sunda clouded leopard is restricted to the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Historically, they were found across nearly the entirety of both islands.

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Sunda clouded leopards get their name from “Sundaland” or the “Sunda region” which refers to the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali and the Malayan Peninsula where the cats can be found. However, despite being coated in a pattern that helps them blend into the habitat of the region where they live, they are unprotected against the consistent habitat loss that occurs in the Sunda region.

Global Conservation works tirelessly to protect the Sunda clouded leopard by equipping rangers with SMART technology and necessary equipment that help them more effectively patrol the regions that are home to this vulnerable species.

Threats and Habitat Loss

Not only are these cats illegally hunted for their skins and other body parts, in the past decade, around 30% of the forest in the Sunda clouded leopard’s range has been destroyed. This is predominantly due to forest clearance for settlements and agricultural purposes, including palm oil plantations.

Additionally, fragmentation of forest and agricultural infringement has made wildlife vulnerable to human activity. Habitat fragmentation causes more competition among species, limits their access to resources, and makes them susceptible to inbreeding.

Conservation Action

In order to provide adequate hunting ranges and prevent inbreeding in isolated leopard communities, it is essential to at least have habitat corridors that connect isolated areas with one another. That is why Global Conservation is working to preserve as much habitat as possible in DaMaI and the Leuser Ecosystem.

Global Conservation has been supporting groups, like Forum Konservasi Leuser (FKL) in Indonesia, who work to prevent further habitat loss that would significantly degrade biodiversity and ecosystem services. By collaborating with partners and local communities, Global Conservation is able to secure more land for conservation and reforestation while protecting the Sunda clouded leopards.

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