Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa).
Image: Rushenb, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2021 global assessment of Neofelis nebulosa says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The clouded leopard is a secretive, medium-sized wild cat with large cloud-shaped markings and exceptional climbing skills. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
It has the longest canine teeth relative to skull size of any living cat.
Range & habitat
Forests of South and Southeast Asia, from the Himalayan foothills to mainland Southeast Asia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Deforestation
- Poaching for skins and parts
- Prey depletion
Why it matters
An elusive forest predator, the clouded leopard is a flagship for protecting the dwindling forests of South and Southeast Asia.
Gallery
Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa); this individual is in a zoo.
Image: FakirNL, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Clouded Leopard
- IUCN Red List — look up Clouded Leopard (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web