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A clouded leopard with large cloud-shaped spots lying among green forest plants.
Photo: Rushenb, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Clouded Leopard

Neofelis nebulosa

A tree-climbing wild cat of Asian forests with cloud-shaped spots and the longest canine teeth for its skull size of any wild cat.

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About the Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopards live in forests from Nepal and eastern India across Southeast Asia to southern China. They are mostly active at night. Special ankle bones let them climb in many positions, even head first down a tree trunk. They hunt gibbons, macaques, slow lorises, small deer, wild boars, birds and rodents. Unlike some big cats, clouded leopards cannot roar or purr.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Neofelis nebulosa[1]
Weight
Males up to 50 pounds (23 kg). Females 25 to 35 pounds.[1]
Lifespan
12 to 15 years on average. Up to 17 years in human care.[1]
Diet
Carnivore. Gibbons, macaques, slow lorises, small deer, wild boars, birds and rodents.[1]
Habitat
Cloud forests, dry woodlands, secondary forests and mangrove swamps.[1]
Where it lives
From Nepal, Bangladesh and eastern India through Southeast Asia to southern China.[1]
Group life
Mainly active at night.[1]
Babies
Pregnancy lasts 85 to 93 days. Usually two or three cubs, but anywhere from one to five.[1]
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020). Fewer than 10,000 mature adults.[1][2]

Fun facts

  • Compared with skull size, clouded leopards have the longest canine teeth of any wild cat.[1]
  • Clouded leopards can climb head first down tree trunks.[1]
  • A clouded leopard can open its mouth to about a 100-degree angle.[1]
  • Clouded leopards cannot roar or purr.[1]

Vocabulary

nocturnal
Active at night and resting during the day.
cloud forest
A wet mountain forest that is often covered in low clouds or fog.
canine teeth
Long, pointed teeth used for gripping and tearing.
secondary forest
A forest that has grown back after the original trees were cut or burned.
vulnerable
A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Clouded leopard.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/clouded-leopard (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Neofelis nebulosa (Clouded Leopard).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/14519/198843258 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

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