Clouded leopard

About Clouded Leopard:

• It is a wild cat inhabiting dense forests of the Himalayas through mainland Southeast Asia into South China.
• There are two species of clouded leopards: the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi).
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It is found across Southeast Asia and the Himalayas in the following countries: southern China, Bhutan, Nepal, northeast India, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Bangladesh. 
  • Throughout its range, the clouded leopard spends most of the time in the tropical evergreen rainforests but can also be found in dry tropical forests and mangrove swamps.
  • It has been found at relatively high altitudes in the Himalayas.
  • In India, it is found in Sikkim, northern West Bengal, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is the State animal of Meghalaya.
• Features:
  • It is a medium-sized cat, 60 to 110 cm long and weighing between 11 and 20kg.
  • It is named after the distinctive 'clouds' on its coat - ellipses partially edged in black, with the insides a darker colour than the background colour of the pelt.
  • The base of the fur is a pale yellow to rich brown, making the darker cloud-like markings look even more distinctive.
  • It has an exceptionally long tail for balancing, which can be as long as the body itself, thick with black ring markings.
  • It has a stocky build and, proportionately, the longest canine teeth of any living feline.
  • It has relatively short legs and broad paws which make it excellent at climbing trees and creeping through thick forest. 
  • It can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first.
  • It is a solitary animal.
• Conservation status: Both the species are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ under the IUC Red List.

Q1: What is IUCN?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is a global organization composed of governments, NGOs, scientists, and experts dedicated to conserving nature and promoting sustainability. Its primary role involves assessing the conservation status of species, providing data and analysis on the state of biodiversity worldwide, and offering guidance and frameworks for conservation efforts.'

Source: Mizoram governor calls for protecting rare species on clouded leopard day