Clouded leopards. Wild cats: Clouded leopard What a clouded leopard looks like

Clouded leopard interesting because it combines anatomical and behavioral characteristics large and small cats. He is classified as a special genus. In Latin...

Clouded leopard: photo with description, habitat and characteristics of the animal

From Masterweb

The clouded leopard is interesting because it combines the anatomical and behavioral features of large and small cats. He is classified as a special genus. On Latin part of its name translates as " new cat" The animal has no direct relationship with real leopards. It is related to appearance, no more.

Appearance

The predator has an elongated body. It is very flexible, like all cats. The coat is thick and short. Although the legs are not long, the presence of hard calluses on the paws allows them to climb trees excellently. The animal is distinguished by a large massive tail with fur. It takes up half the length of his body. However, the Taiwanese clouded leopard has a much shorter tail.

The animal's skull is elongated. This sets him apart from other cats. The eyes are yellow-brown in color. The fangs are large. This is especially noticeable when the animal yawns or growls. This is associated with adaptation to natural environment. The predator is forced to catch prey by climbing trees. In order to keep it suspended, more long teeth. In addition, with the help of large fangs, the victim can be killed with one bite. The structure of the fangs makes it look like a prehistoric saber-toothed cat. The length of the upper fangs can be more than four centimeters.

Thanks to the structure of the jaw, these animals can roar, albeit very softly, and also purr. However, you should not even try to start them at home. They won't become murky.

Color

The clouded leopard is hard to miss. This is due to the characteristic color. The fur ranges from light yellow to brown. Against this background there is a pattern of spots of unequal shape. They are painted dark brown or black. They are much lighter in the middle.

The chest and abdominal areas are light with slight spotting. On the back and neck, the spots have an elongated shape. The ears are colored black, but there is a light spot in the middle. The tail has black rings that do not close together. The animal attracts not only photographers, but also poachers with its colors. This has a negative impact on the conservation of the species.

Dimensions

The predator is much larger than ordinary cats. Body length ranges from seventy to one hundred centimeters. The tail grows 75-90 centimeters. Males are larger than females. The same applies to the length of their tails.

The weight of a clouded leopard ranges from ten to twenty kilograms. The average weight of a female is eleven, and a male is nineteen kilograms. Males are twice as large as their female companions. This difference is not found among other representatives cat family.

Before looking at where the clouded leopard lives, it is worth clarifying that in captivity they live up to twenty years. Their lifespan in the wild is unknown. They have enemies. It's about about larger cats.

Habitat

The clouded leopard is found in dense tropical forests, in swamps with trees. He prefers to stay deep in forests, which are located at an altitude of up to 2.5 kilometers above sea level. We are talking about the Asian region with the adjacent islands.

The main threat The existence of the predator was deforestation for commercial purposes and for the creation of new human settlements.

Behavior

The clouded leopard hunts both day and night. It tracks its prey from the ground, although it is capable of jumping on it from overhanging branches.

The predator has well-developed vision. He sees perfectly in the twilight. At night, it is not only its vision that helps it navigate through the trees, but also its tail and wide feet. With their help, he balances, maintaining balance. Every day, in search of prey, the animal covers a distance of one to two kilometers.

In addition, the predator swims well. This is how he differs from ordinary cats. Researchers suggest that thanks to the ability to cross expanses of water, these representatives of cats settled on small islands located between Vietnam and Borneo.

Observing an animal in its natural environment is quite difficult. It is afraid of people. Sometimes conclusions about the predator are made from interviews with local residents. Thus, it was found that representatives of cats living in Malaysia travel on the ground. They walk along paths and roads. They only rest on trees. Residents of Nepal say approximately the same thing.

Nutrition

In the photo, a clouded leopard can often be seen on a tree. It is not surprising that his main specialization is the production of birds. But the diet is also supplemented by mammals such as monkeys, goats, and wild pigs. The predator is capable of attacking a young buffalo or deer. He does not disdain reptiles, fish, and other living creatures.

In captivity, animals eat a meat diet. In addition, they are given the legs of ungulates to chew on. In addition, this is how the body of predators replenishes useful substances from tendons. They also get fruits, for example, pieces of papaya.

Reproduction

For most of their lives, animals prefer to live alone. Each predator has its own hunting area. It stretches for tens of kilometers. Males begin to actively search for companions only during the breeding season.

After successful mating, the female carries the cubs for three months. A hollow in a tree is chosen as a place for raising offspring. Several kittens are born there, usually about one to five. The weight of each rarely reaches two hundred grams. Babies open their eyes at 10-12 days of life. Development is quite slow. The cubs begin to walk independently twenty days after birth. The complete transition to meat food occurs at ten and a half weeks. However, for another five months, babies can receive breast milk. Independent life they begin to lead at nine months. Complete puberty occurs at twenty to thirty months.

Immediately after they are born, kittens' fur is yellowish-gray in color, but by six months it becomes spotted.

In captivity, reproduction can be too unpredictable. Due to the fact that males live in a limited territory, they are too aggressive. In 80% of cases after mating, they attack their companions. Females often die. Not all surviving cats produce offspring. However, zoos continue to try to revive the captive population. Thus, practice has shown that raising individuals of both sexes together reduces the aggressiveness of males. It is important that the couple live together early age when the animals are not yet one year old. Not every zoo can afford this.

There are researchers who are inclined to carry out further reproduction through artificial insemination and embryo transfers. This way you can save the lives of females and get healthy offspring.

Population status

Many wild animals are in danger of extinction. They are listed in the Red Book. The clouded leopard is no exception. There are four subspecies of this animal in total. Each of them is distributed in a specific area:

• South China and Indochina;
• Taiwan;
• Nepal;
• Borneo.

The Taiwanese predator is considered extinct. This state of affairs is to blame not only for deforestation, but also for poaching. The animal's skin, as well as its fangs and bones, are valued on the market. Residents of Asia have long used them in their medicine. Some restaurants offer meat from endangered species.

These cats are becoming increasingly common in European zoos. If human activity regarding the extermination of predators does not stop, soon the clouded leopard can only be seen on video or in a cage.

Kievyan Street, 16 0016 Armenia, Yerevan +374 11 233 255

The clouded leopard is an ancient, predatory and dexterous animal, one of the ancestors of the cat family.. It is found in the mountain forests of Nepal, Southern Indochina and China, Sumatra, Burma, the islands of Java and Borneo. It spends almost its entire life in trees, which is probably why Malaysians call it the tree tiger. Some peoples of Thailand consider the predator to be their spiritual ancestor.

The animal is separated into a separate genus and has no direct relation to ordinary ones. Due to the presence of some anatomical, morphological and behavioral characteristics, it occupies an intermediate niche between representatives of large and small cats. The landscape where the clouded leopard lives is varied - rain evergreen forests, mangroves, savannas, highlands up to two and a half thousand meters.

Population status

The largest number of animals is observed on the island of Borneo. This is due to the lack there natural enemies animals - leopards and tigers. In other regions, clouded leopards are rare.

The main threat to the beast is the growth of human settlements and the destruction of forests. Poaching causes significant damage to the population. Beautiful, expensive fur is used to make fur coats. Animal meat, bones, and fangs are used in oriental medicine.

Due to danger complete disappearance the predator is listed in the Red Book. There are now about 10,000 individuals in the population.

Appearance

In life and in photos, the clouded leopard has a characteristic appearance. It is difficult to confuse him with any other wild cat, and all this is due to his unique color, long tail, and special head shape. The size of the animal is comparable to that of a large dog.

• The body reaches a length of 70 - 100 cm. Height at the withers is up to 55 cm.
• Tail – 80 – 90 cm.
• The weight of females is 12 - 16 kg, males - 16 - 22 kg.
• The skull is elongated in the facial region. The jaws are powerful, with long (up to 4 cm) and saber-sharp fangs. The mouth can open much wider than other cats.
• The eyes are greenish-yellow in color, with oval pupils.
• The nose is pink.
• Ears average size, with a rounded edge, set wide, dark in color at the back.
• The paws are massive and short. The hind limbs are slightly longer than the forelimbs. The feet are wide, with rough, thick skin on the pads. Thanks to this structure of the feet, the animal easily climbs smooth-bore trees and masterfully moves along horizontal branches in any direction, even upside down.
• The claws are sharp and fully retractable.
• The wool is thick, middle length and rigidity. The main color of the coat is dark gray or dark yellow. The chest, belly and inner surface of the paws are off-white.
• The spotted pattern consists of well-defined spots of different sizes irregular shape. Elongated, large spots with dark borders and a light center are located on the sides and on the back. Oblong, black spots stretch along the spine from the neck to the tail. There are small, dark marks on the muzzle in the forehead area. Black stripes go up and down from the inner corner of the eyes, the same stripes extend into different sides from the corners of the mouth. The paws, tail, and belly are covered with dark spots of various sizes. At the very end, the spots merge and the tail becomes almost black.

Subspecies

The Latin name of the species is Neofelis nebulosa. Until 2008, the Bornean or Kalimantan clouded leopard was considered a subspecies. After detailed study coat pattern, jaw structure, skull and genetic studies this fact not confirmed. The animals were classified as clouded leopards ( Latin name Neofelis), but to different types. Three subspecies of the predator are reliably known:

• The subspecies Neofelis nebulosa nebulosa is found in Indochina and China.
• Representatives Neofelis nebulosa macrosceloides live in Myanmar and Nepal.
• The subspecies Neofelis nebulosa brachyura previously lived in Taiwan; now there is not a single individual of this species left.

Lifestyle and nutrition

The animal lives in the depths of the forest and leads a solitary existence. Best of all its relatives, it can climb trees, swims well, and can hang from branches upside down, clinging to them with its hind legs.

The area of ​​hunting property depends on the type of terrain and the amount of prey. Males occupy a territory from 30 to 45 km 2, females - from 20 to 25 km 2. The areas of males overlap with the areas of several females. The living space is marked with excrement, scratches on tree trunks and branches, and is jealously guarded from competitors.

Having acute binocular vision, the clouded leopard can hunt at any time of the day, but more often does it at night. In search of a victim, it runs more than one kilometer, jumps from branch to branch, and easily overcomes water obstacles along the way.

It watches the prey from a tree, concentrating as much as possible and pressing its ears to its head. When it comes right moment, pushes off the branch with its hind legs and makes a flying jump, balancing its tail in the air. Sharp, long fangs instantly kill the game, leaving it no chance.

The basis of the diet is: birds, monkeys, deer, wild goats, young ungulates, porcupines. Sometimes the menu is replenished with fish and reptiles.

Reproduction and care of offspring

IN wildlife all the secrets of the predator’s life are hidden by dense vegetation and little is known about its reproduction. In captivity, the mating season lasts from March to August, accompanied by tender courtship. The male’s mood changes dramatically after mating; he becomes aggressive and unpredictable. There are known fatal cases of attacks by a male on a female within the same enclosure.

A pregnant female makes a den in a hollow tree. After 90 - 95 days, she gives birth to kittens (from one to five). The babies are covered with fluffy yellow-gray fur without spots, their weight does not exceed 150 - 280 grams. Newborn cubs see nothing and hear poorly; they open their eyes at the end of the second week of life.

For the first five months, kittens receive mother's milk, and from two and a half months they are accustomed to solid food. As children grow older, their activity increases - they play, climb trees, and fight. Young clouded leopards are ready to take care of themselves on their own already in the tenth month of life. Predators reach sexual maturity by two years.

The lifespan of clouded leopards is 17 years in captivity, 11 years in natural conditions.

The animal is found in many zoos around the world. They create conditions close to their natural habitat, animals receive balanced diet and proper care. Despite this, cats breed reluctantly, and each offspring becomes a real event.

The predator's diet includes meat, bones, fish, vitamins and mineral supplements. Vaccinations are given according to age.

Buy clouded leopard A possible in a specialized nursery. There you can also look at the parents of the kittens and get acquainted with the conditions and rules for keeping the future pet.
The price of a clouded leopard starts at $25 thousand.

The clouded leopard has a number of features that bring it closer to representatives of the genus Panthera, and also has some features that make it similar to representatives of the genus Felis. Today, scientists include the clouded leopard in the panther subfamily (Pantherinae), but this cat is so distinctive that it is classified as a separate genus - Neofelis. The size of a clouded leopard is large lynx, but more densely built, with a more elongated body and thicker and shorter limbs. The weight of adult animals is approximately 16-25 kg, but sometimes up to 30.
The clouded leopard has an elongated skull (in some ways it resembles the skull of a jaguar), with huge fangs, especially on the upper jaw. This type of cat has the longest fangs, relative to the size of the animal.
In bright light, the pupils of a clouded leopard take on the shape of an ellipse, like those of most small cats. The vibrissae, which play the role of a tactile organ, are well developed. In the clouded leopard, like in all cats, the collarbone is connected to chest and the scapula by means of elastic tendons, so its front legs are characterized by amazing freedom of movement. This structure of the forelimbs helps him skillfully climb trees and jump from branch to branch, like a monkey. He can even move along branches upside down (that is, with his back down), and descending from a tree upside down is not difficult for him at all. On occasion, he can attack a prey grazing on the ground directly from a tree. When a clouded leopard deftly jumps through the branches, it is simply an amazing sight. This is truly an unsurpassed poison dart frog among cats in its weight category. Maybe a little margay from the jungle South America, and a marble cat from tropical forests Southeast Asia may challenge it, but both cats are much smaller than the clouded leopard.
The clouded leopard's tail is long and fluffy, making it appear quite thick. It serves as a kind of balancer when the cat jumps and runs along the branches. The wool is soft and quite thick, with a characteristic smoky shade, thanks to which he got his Russian name. In English it is called "clouded leopard", that is, "cloudy", as its large spots of irregular shape really resemble clouds.
Of the sense organs, the clouded leopard, like all cats, has the best developed vision and hearing. The sense of smell is less developed, but it also plays an important role in the life of the animal, which exchanges information with its fellows through various odors, and also marks its territory.
The clouded leopard is perfectly adapted to hunting monkeys. It even seems to me that this is why he developed such long fangs. Monkeys are known to be very dexterous animals and even the smallest monkey has strong teeth and can cause serious injury to an attacker. Long fangs are very useful here, as they allow the cat to kill the victim in a matter of seconds, without risking its own skin.
Although the clouded leopard is specialized in hunting monkeys, they are not the only prey animals. It often hunts other arboreal animals, birds (one of the favorite foods of this predator), rodents, as well as artiodactyls (including deer, pigs, goats and even buffalo calves), etc. As a rule, the clouded leopard prefers small and nimble prey, which is why it is so dexterous and agile. But, on occasion, it can cope with prey that is much larger than it is in size. However, he does not attack orangutans (although there are all sorts of exceptions, because it also happens that tigers or lions attack elephants), because these huge monkeys have monstrous strength and are clearly too much for the clouded leopard. But even without that, the clouded leopard has a fairly wide range of potential prey, so it hunts both in the crowns of trees and on the ground.
In Southeast Asia, the clouded leopard occupies approximately the same ecological niche as the ocelot in the Amazonian jungle. Therefore, these cats are very similar in behavior and appearance. Accordingly, their sizes are approximately the same, but the clouded leopard has a more powerful build.
The clouded leopard is distributed from Nepal and southern China to Indonesia and Malaysia, where it inhabits dense tropical jungles and mountain forests.
Very little is known about the reproduction of the clouded leopard. Pregnancy lasts approximately 86-93 days, after which 2-3 kittens are born (but there can be 5). Newborns weigh about 160 grams.
The clouded leopard is listed in the International Red Book, but the species is in danger of extinction due to the destruction of its natural habitat. In addition, they reproduce very poorly in captivity.
These animals differ from most representatives of the cat family in their very flexible disposition. With proper upbringing, these cats are easily tamed and become attached to humans. In this respect it resembles snow leopard, who also has a very meek disposition.

Classification:

Family: Felidae (felines)
Subfamily: Pantherinae (panthers)
Genus: Neofelis
Species: Neofelis nebulosa (clouded leopard)

Photo gallery:

Skulls.

Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)- kind of wild carnivorous mammal from the cat family (Felidae). Belongs to the genus clouded leopards (Neofelis). Found in southeastern Asia. His close relative is (Neofelis diardi).

Description

The clouded leopard's body is covered with dark elliptical rosettes with a light center. The back of the rosettes is darker than the front. The background color of the coat varies from yellowish brown to dark gray. The muzzle is white with solid black spots on the forehead and cheeks. There are large, black and oval spots on the belly and limbs. In juveniles, the lateral spots are solid and bright, and change at the age of six months.

Adults usually weigh 18-22 kilograms. The height at the withers is from 50 to 60 centimeters. The length of the head and body varies from 75 to 105 cm, and the tail - from 79 to 90 centimeters, which is almost equal to the length of the body. Sexual dimorphism in clouded leopards is not very pronounced, although females are slightly smaller than males. Compared to other cats, the legs of this species are relatively short, with the hind limbs being longer than the forelimbs. The claws are large and retractable. The clouded leopard is digitigrade.

The skull is long and narrow compared to other cats. Clouded leopards have the longest canines relative to head and body size than; the fangs can reach a length of four centimeters or more.

Nose Pink colour, and sometimes there are small black spots on it. The ears are short and round. The iris of the eyes is usually brownish-yellow or grayish-green, and the pupils are vertical.

There are currently three recognized subspecies of clouded leopard:

• N.n. nebulosa- lives in Southern China and eastern Myanmar;
• N.n. macrosceloides- distributed in Nepal and Myanmar;
• N.n. brachyura- lived in Taiwan, and is considered extinct since the early 1990s.

Area

clouded leopards, (Neofelis nebulosa), are common in the southern Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan and some areas of northeastern India. Myanmar, South China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, mainland Malaysia are southern parts range.

Habitat

Clouded leopards occupy altitudes of up to 3000 meters. They often rest and hunt in trees. However, they spend more time hunting on the ground than previously thought. Observations of clouded leopards have shown that these cats prefer primary evergreen tropical forests, but have also been seen in other habitats such as secondary forests, swamp forests, mangrove swamps, grasslands, scrubland, tropical dry forests, and coastal deciduous forests.

Reproduction

Everything that is known about the behavior of clouded leopards during the breeding season comes from observations of animals in captivity. The lack of knowledge about the reproduction of these animals in the wild has complicated the process of breeding cats in captivity. Organized meetings between male and female for mating result in aggressive behavior, and males often kill females by biting her on the back of the neck. For this reason, many experts believe that compatibility between male and female is very important for productive matings. The most successful matings took place between a female and a male, who spent several weeks together. However, researchers do not believe that clouded leopards are monogamous in the wild. In zoos, mating usually occurs between December and March, but can occur at any time throughout the year. The pair copulates many times over several days. The male, as a rule, grabs the female by the back of the neck with a bite and copulates with the female, and at this moment she vocalizes. In the wild, clouded leopards use elevated areas to allow the long moaning sound to travel well.

The gestation period for captive clouded leopards ranges from 88 to 95 days, although it can last from 85 to 109 days. Females most often give birth to two kittens per pregnancy, but the number of cubs in a litter can vary from one to five. Kittens are born with the large spots found on adults, but these spots remain solid and black until about six months of age. A newborn kitten weighs 140-80 grams, depending on the size of the litter. Kittens open their eyes after 2-11 days, begin to walk at 20 days of age, and can climb trees after just six weeks. Their diet includes meat at 7-10 weeks, and they are weaned from their mother's milk at 10-14 weeks. Clouded leopard kittens have been reported to be capable of killing chicks as young as 10 weeks. In the wild, kittens usually stay with their mothers for about ten months. The length of time between litters for cats in captivity ranges from 10 to 16 months. Sexual maturity in captive animals occurs at 20-30 months, with an average of 24 months.

After mating, the male and female separate and the male does not take part in raising the offspring. The female's belly does not appear until the third trimester of pregnancy, then it begins to grow and the nipples become larger. When kittens are born, the mother licks them to keep the babies clean and warm. She continues to brush them until they learn to do it on their own. It is unknown where the female leaves her kittens while she hunts, but she probably hides them in dense vegetation. Females produce milk for the kittens, which is their only source of nutrition until they reach 7-10 weeks of age. Until the cubs are about 10 months old, the mother continues to bring them prey, while they grow and learn to hunt for themselves. At this age they leave their mothers to find their own territories.

Lifespan

The average lifespan of wild clouded leopards is estimated to be 11 years. Individuals in zoos live up to 17 years, but on average 13-15 years. For wild clouded leopards, hunting or habitat destruction by humans shortens the animal's lifespan. These cats also share parts of them geographical area with larger predators such as and. For this reason, clouded leopards spend a significant amount of time in trees. No research has been conducted on diseases that may limit the lifespan of this species. The number of deaths from other causes remains unknown.

Nutrition

Little is known about the diet of clouded leopards. Like other felines, they are strictly carnivores. These cats are solitary hunters, they hunt birds, fish, monkeys, deer and rodents. Prey species: Argus pheasant, bear macaque, slow loris, silvery langur, sambar, pig deer, Indian muntjac, little deer, wild boar, bearded pig, Javan pangolin, Indochinese ground squirrel, and Himalayan civet. They also kill domestic animals, including calves, pigs, goats and poultry. Fish remains were found in the excrement of wild clouded leopards. This predator kills prey by biting the back of the neck.

Behavior

Little is known about the behavior of clouded leopards in the wild, although there are some assumptions based on observations of animals in captivity. These cats are considered to be secretive arboreal hunters who are most active at night, although these characteristics vary. Big paws, short legs and a long tail, make the clouded leopard well adapted for an arboreal lifestyle. They are skilled tree climbers and have been observed performing acrobatics such as slowly descending from a tree head down, hanging upside down, moving along horizontal branches, and hanging from branches using only their hind legs.

Clouded leopards are capable of catching birds, monkeys and rodents in trees. These cats are not strictly arboreal hunters; they may spend more time resting in trees than hunting. Using trees as shelters is considered a means of escaping the ground-dwelling leeches found in the tropical forests of Asia. Trees also protect these cats from large predators such as leopards and tigers. The amount of time clouded leopards spend in trees can vary among different habitats. They stalk prey both in trees and on the ground, sneaking quietly and slowly, and then suddenly pouncing. Daily activity observed in wild and captive cats; thus, clouded leopards cannot be called exclusively nocturnal. Daily activity is likely dependent on the availability of prey in different regions, as well as quantities human activity in specific areas. Nothing is known about social systems wild clouded leopards, they are probably solitary animals. The female and male meet only to breed. The female may be seen with her cubs.

Home range

Male and female clouded leopards have ranges that are similar in size. Typical representative The species has a territory that ranges from 30 to 40 square kilometers, with a heavily exploited core area of ​​3 to 5 square kilometers. The ranges of males and females overlap.

Threats

The main threat to clouded leopards is people who use dogs to track and herd cats. For this reason, they avoid people and are rarely seen nearby. settlements. The clouded leopard shares most of its range with tigers and leopards. In these areas common use, the clouded leopard appears to be more arboreal and night image life. The reason for this is not documented, but researchers suspect that tigers and leopards kill clouded leopards to eliminate competition. Thus, clouded leopards are more active at night and spend more time in the trees to avoid these large predators. Their spotted coat serves as a marking when they stalk their prey and try to hide from other predators.

Role in the ecosystem

Positive

Clouded leopards have been intensively hunted for their pelts, which can be sold on black wildlife markets. Smuggling of skins from mainland China has increased as demand for clouded leopard skins in Taiwan has been renewed. Before the adoption of Christianity by the tribal peoples of Taiwan, the skins of clouded leopards were used in rituals, and hunters were considered heroes for killing these animals. Today, in some Asian countries, the skin of this species is a symbol of high status among men. Authorities have found skins for sale in many markets across the mainland. South-East Asia. Body parts, especially claws, teeth and bones, are still used in traditional medicine. Clouded leopards sometimes appear on menus in upscale restaurants in Asia. In addition, live cats of this species are sold illegally as pets.

Negative

As agricultural land continues to reduce the habitat of clouded leopards, attacks by these predators on domestic animals have increased. Clouded leopards hunt calves, goats, pigs and poultry. Villagers use poison to kill these felines.

Security status

Little is known about the status of the clouded leopard population, as actual population estimates are difficult to obtain in the wild. The main threat to the animals is habitat loss due to deforestation for agricultural purposes. People hunt clouded leopards for their skins and teeth, and for use in traditional medicine and cooking. In a 1991 IUCN survey in southeastern China, clouded leopard skins, teeth and bones were distributed on the black market. As a result, one of the subspecies is the Taiwanese clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa brachyura) extinct

Since 1975, trade in clouded leopards and their body parts has been banned by CITES. The species is currently protected by law in most of its range. Hunting is strictly prohibited in countries such as: Bangladesh, Brunei, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam; hunting is regulated in Laos. The IUCN lists clouded leopards as a "vulnerable species" and they are also listed in the US Endangered Species Act, which prohibits trade of any part of the animal in the United States. However, banning the hunting of clouded leopards does not necessarily reduce the demand for their skins. The skins were reportedly sold in urban markets in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Thailand.

Clouded leopards face persecution from farmers who feel their livestock is under threat. The species' population has declined significantly as a result of deforestation, susceptibility to infectious diseases and natural catastrophic events. Efforts have been made in Nepal, Malaysia and Indonesia to establish national parks to conserve clouded leopard populations. Unfortunately, due to their elusiveness in the wild and dense forest places habitat, data on the number of surviving animals is limited and possibly inaccurate.

Video

The Bornean or Kalimantan clouded leopard is a species of the cat family. Previously considered a subspecies of the clouded leopard, molecular genetic studies conducted in 2006 showed that this form split from the mainland clouded leopard between 1.4 and 2.9 million years ago. In 2008, studies of DNA, fur patterns, and skull and jaw morphology revealed that both species of clouded leopards are as different from each other as other felines.

Appearance of a Bornean clouded leopard

The body length of the Bornean clouded leopard is from 70 to 105 cm, the tail length is from 60 to 85 cm. This leopard weighs from 10 to 25 kg. Males are usually larger than females. This species has longer fangs and thicker carnassial teeth upper jaw than that of the clouded leopard. The spots on the coat are smaller and darker, and smaller spots can often be seen inside the contours of the spots. The coat is darker and gray, with a dark stripe running down the back.

Distribution and habitat of the Bornean clouded leopard

The Bornean clouded leopard lives on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Previously it was assumed that its range was limited to evergreen relict rain forests located at altitudes up to 2000 m. However, newer studies show that it is adapted to different environments habitats, including savannas and mangroves.

Lifestyle and diet of the Bornean clouded leopard

This species is active mainly at night, but on the island of Borneo, where others are absent large predators, it can be seen during the day. Like most members of the cat family, the leopard appears to lead a solitary lifestyle. Outside of the mating season, the only prolonged contact is between the female and her offspring. The animal's long, thick tail, broad feet and short legs suggest that the leopard was well adapted to life in the trees, but most evidence from Borneo suggested that it was on the ground.

The leopard's prey includes a variety of vertebrates, including sambar, muntjac, deer, orangutans, langurs, bearded pigs, musangs, porcupines, fish and birds.

Reproduction of the Bornean clouded leopard

Data on the reproductive behavior of this species are available only from individuals kept in captivity. The gestation period ranges from 85 to 109 days, with an average of 86 to 93 days. The female gives birth to from one to five cubs, the most common being the birth of two cubs. They begin to eat solid food after 7-10 weeks, but continue to suckle milk until the age of 11-14 weeks. Puberty occurs at the age of 20-30 months.

Population status and conservation of the Bornean clouded leopard

The Bornean clouded leopard is classified as "vulnerable" by the IUCN. There is no reliable data on its number. A study at Tabin Wildlife Reserve in the Malaysian state of Sabah estimated its population density at nine individuals per 100 km². The species appears to be rarer in Sumatra than in Borneo. Trends in the destruction of its living space, degradation and conversion of forests into rubber or oil palm plantations, for Lately in Borneo and Sumatra have intensified and may lead to negative consequences for the survival of this species of big cats.