Clouded Leopard : Study
A new study addresses critical gaps in understanding the Clouded Leopard habitat suitability, fragmentation, and connectivity across its historical and current ranges, offering a conservation roadmap.
- Clouded Leopard is a wild catinhabiting dense forests of the Himalayas through mainland Southeast Asia into South China.
- There are two species of clouded leopards: the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), found on the mainland of southeastern Asia, and the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), found on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.
- They are one of the most ancient cat species. However, they are neither a true great cat nor a true small cat, because they cannot roar or purr.
- It is found in Nepal, Bangladesh, and India through Indochina to Sumatra and Borneo, and northeastward to southern China and formerly Taiwan.
- It prefers to live in lowland tropical rainforests. However, it can also be found in dry woodlands and secondary forests, and even in mangrove swamps (in Borneo).
- It has been found at relatively high altitudes in the Himalayas.
- It is the State animal of Meghalaya.
- Conservation status: Both the species are classified as ‘Vulnerable’under the IUCN Red List.
