Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
Habitat
Clouded leopards live in dense forests and are found at elevations of up to 6,560 feet (2,000 m).
Head/Body Length (including tail) and Height
Length: Approximately 67 inches (139-184 cm)
Height: 21 inches (54 cm)
Weight
35-55 pounds (16-25 kg)
Life Span
In the wild: unknown; At the zoo: up to 17 years.
Diet
In the wild: Birds, monkeys, squirrels, pigs, small deer and fish.
At the zoo: Commercially prepared feline diet, mutton, beef knuckle bone, chicken, chicks, quail, ground turkey, trout and mice.
Reproduction
Female clouded leopards reach sexual maturity at about age 2 and males by age 3. The gestation period lasts 86 to 93 days. One to five offspring are born, each weighing between 5 and 6 ounces (140-170 gr) at birth. Females give birth in hollow trees, ground-level dens or other private places which are protected from weather. At birth infants eyes are closed and they are completely dependent on their mother. Cubs eyes open by day 12. Young will be nursed for about five months but can eat small pieces of meat about 40 days after birth. Cubs become independent of their mother at about 9 months old. After weaning, cubs disperse across the forest.
On Their Own
Almost nothing is known about the social behavior of clouded leopards. Many researchers believe clouded leopards are solitary animals, except during mating season, when a pair will spend time together. Clouded leopards are mostly nocturnal and rest in seclusion during the day. They hunt from trees by jumping onto the back of their victim and on the ground by pouncing on their prey. It has been reported that males may kill females when placed in captivity together, unless they are introduced at a young age. This tendency causes problems for zoos and other keepers of clouded leopards because it is difficult to increase the number of captive animals and diversify the gene pool. To date only about 20 percent of the captive population has reproduced.
Prized Patterns
The beautiful coat of the clouded leopard is very popular on the black market. Cubs have different coloring than adults in that the large spots on their sides are completely dark. Adults have rosette-like spots. Adults are dark brown to ocher-yellow with distinctive black stripes, spots and blotches. The forehead and top of the head have no spots. Six black lines run down the body from the nape of the neck to the flank where the stripes fade into blotches or rosettes. The tail is long, bushy and ringed and tipped with black. Adult clouded leopards have brownish-yellow or greyish-green eyes. Young are usually born with blue eyes which change gradually to the adult coloring. Like all cats, clouded leopards have the tapetum lucidum, a special layer of tissue on the eye, which reflects back all external light and helps them see at night. Clouded leopards can see about six times better than humans can in the dark.
Location at the Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo's clouded leopard is currently not on exhibit.
Conservation Connection
Clouded leopards are an endangered species. Habitat destruction caused by agriculture practices and logging are the primary reasons clouded leopard numbers are decreasing. This destruction fragments the cat's environments, which makes it very hard for related animals to disperse and for unrelated animals to meet and breed.
For many years, the clouded leopard was traditionally regarded as a monotypic genus with four subspecies. But recent molecular genetic analyses (2006) have revealed that there is a strong case for reclassification of the leopard as two distinct species: Neofelis nebulous (mainland Asia) and Neofelis diardi (Indonesian archipelago).
Woodland Park Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the clouded leopard. This program aims to diversify the captive gene pool and improve reproductive techniques. Woodland Park Zoo also works to educate the public about this and other endangered species.
How You Can Help!
The effort to save endangered species requires cooperation and support at the international, national, regional and individual levels. You can help in this cause. Join and become active in Woodland Park Zoo and other conservation organizations of your choice. Please do not buy products made from wild animal parts. Contact your elected representatives and express your views about conservation of endangered species and wild habitats.
Contact Woodland Park Zoo webkeeper@zoo.org to find out about ways you can support conservation programs at the zoo. Discover more about endangered clouded leopards by calling the International Society for Endangered Cats at 1-800-465-6384 or (403) 279-5892 or at their Web site at www.wildcatconservation.org. Learn other ways you can help conserve wildlife and the habitats they require for survival by visiting our How You Can Help page.
Sources and Suggested Reading
Guggisber, C.A.W. 1975. Wild Cats of the World. Taplinger Publishing Company, New York, NY. 328 p.Sleeper, Barbara and Art Wolfe. 1995. Wild Cats of the World. Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, NY. 216 p.
For Kids!
Resnick, Jane P. 1994. Cats. Kidsbooks, Inc., Chicago IL. 29 p.