NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Clouded Leopard

The Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a medium-sized cat, 55 to 110 cm (2 ft to 3 ft 6 in) long and weighing between 15 and 23 kg (33 to 50 lb). It has a tan or tawny coat, and is distinctively marked with large, irregularly-shaped, dark-edged ellipses which are said to be shaped like clouds, hence both its common and original scientific name. It is found in southern China, the eastern Himalayas, north-east India and south-east Asia. The Bornean Clouded Leopard, Neofelis diardi, is a separate species found on the Sumatra, Borneo and the Batu Islands. [1] Because of their distinct skull structure, the two species are considered sufficiently different to be the only members of their genus. The Clouded Leopard was a confusion to scientists for a long time because of the appearance and skeleton. It was what seemed to be a cross in between a big cat and a small cat. The name that is referred to by scientists is Neofelis nebulosa; neo means new and felis means small cat, so it literally means new kind of small cat. â€œFelineâ€ redirects here. ... The international prototype, made of platinum-iridium, which is kept at the BIPM under conditions specified by the 1st CGPM in 1889. ... For other uses, see Ellipse (disambiguation). ... For the movie Himalaya, see Himalaya (film). ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Neofelis diardi (G. Cuvier, 1823) Range Synonyms Felis diardii Felis macrocelis Felis marmota Neofelis nebulosa diardi Neofelis diardi is a medium-sized wild cat found on Borneo, Sumatra and the Batu Islands in the Malay Archipelago and publicised under the name Bornean Clouded Leopard by the World Wide... For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sumatra (disambiguation). ... Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. ... The Batu Islands are an archipelago of Indonesia located in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Sumatra, between Nias and Siberut. ...

Overview

The Clouded Leopard has a large build and, proportionately, the longest canine teeth (2 in) of any living feline.^[3] These characteristics led early researchers to speculate that it preyed on large land-dwelling mammals. However, while remarkably little is known about the natural history and behavioral habits of this species in the wild, it is now thought that its primary prey includes arboreal and terrestrial mammals, particularly gibbons, macaques, and the Proboscis Monkey, supplemented by other small mammals, deer, birds, porcupines, and domestic livestock. The Clouded Leopard has 5 toes like most big cats. The Canine teeth are the long, pointed teeth used for grabbing hold of and tearing apart foods, also called cuspids, dogteeth or fangs. Species that feature them, such as humans and dogs, usually have four, two in the top jaw, two in the lower, on either side of the Incisors. ... â€œFelineâ€ redirects here. ... The kinkajou is an arboreal mammal. ... Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land, as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water (e. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass â€ Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass â€ Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria For the folk-rock band see The Mammals. ... Genera Hylobates Hoolock Nomascus Symphalangus Gibbons are the small apes that are grouped in the family Hylobatidae. ... For other uses, see Macaca. ... Binomial name Wurmb, 1787 The Proboscis Monkey, Nasalis larvatus also known as Long-nosed Monkey is a reddish-brown arboreal Old World monkey. ... This article is about the ruminent animal. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... This article is about the rodent mammal. ...

In conjunction with the fact that some of its prey lives in trees, the Clouded Leopard is an excellent climber. Short, flexible legs, large paws, and keen claws combine to make it very sure-footed. The Clouded Leopard can possess a tail as long as its body, further aiding in balance. Surprisingly, the cat can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first. The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ...

Range, habitat and taxonomy

The animal ranges through southern China, the eastern Himalayas, northeast India, and southeast Asia. It is thought to be extinct in Taiwan. The last confirmed sighting of a Clouded Leopard in Taiwan was in 1989 when the skin from a small leopard was found in the Taroko area. This subspecies was characterized by its relatively much shorter tail.

Preferred habitat is tropical and subtropical forests at altitudes up to about 2,000 meters (6,500 ft); however it is sometimes found in mangrove swamps and grassland. It lives in temperatures from 65 to 120 degrees. Above and below water view at the edge of the mangal. ...

The Clouded Leopard, despite its name, is not closely related to the Leopard. This article is about the big cat. ...

For fifty years the Clouded Leopard was regarded as a monotypic genus with four subspecies:

Recent molecular genetic analyses (mtDNA, nuclear DNA sequences, microsatellite variation, and cytogenetic differences) have revealed that there is a strong case for reclassification and the defining of two distinct species of Clouded Leopard - Neofelis nebulosa (all three subspecies on mainland Asia) and Neofelis diardi (one subspecies on the Indonesian archipelago). Trinomial name Neofelis nebulosa brachyurus (Swinhoe, 1862) The Formosan Clouded Leopard is a subspecies of Clouded Leopard that was endemic to the island of Taiwan and now believed to be extinct. ... Binomial name Neofelis diardi (G. Cuvier, 1823) Range Synonyms Felis diardii Felis macrocelis Felis marmota Neofelis nebulosa diardi Neofelis diardi is a medium-sized wild cat found on Borneo, Sumatra and the Batu Islands in the Malay Archipelago and publicised under the name Bornean Clouded Leopard by the World Wide...

This case for two Clouded Leopard species based on genetic distinction that is equivalent to, or greater than, comparable measures among Panthera species (Lion, Tiger, Leopard, and Jaguar) is also strongly supported by the geographical variation revealed by morphometric analyses of the pelage (coat colour and patterns) between Clouded Leopard in Mainland Asia and in Indonesia (Borneo and Sumatra); again providing a compelling case for reclassification into two distinct species N. nebulosa and N. diardi.^[4]^[5] For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Tiger (disambiguation). ... This article is about the big cat. ... keels is bent and she has a big nose which she picks every day. ... Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. ... For other uses, see Sumatra (disambiguation). ...

Diet

Like all cats, the clouded leopard is a carnivore. Its prey includes the sambar and muntjac deer, birds, bearded pigs, civet, monkeys, gibbons, squirrels, porcupines, fish, domestic cattle and chicken. Clouded Leopards that are held in captivity also eat eggs and some vegetation. Binomial name Cervus unicolor (Kerr, 1792) Sambar Sambar in forest Sambar (also sambur, sambhur), is the common name for several large dark brown and maned Asian deer, particularly for the Indian species, which attains a height of 102 to 160 cm (40 to 63 in) at the shoulder and may... Muntjac are deer of the genus Muntiacus, also known as Barking Deer. ... Genera Chrotogale Cynogale Diplogale Hemigalus Arctogalidia Macrogalidia Paguma Paradoxurus Civettictis Viverra Viverricula Civets are mammals, most of which are species in the family Viverridae. ... Genera Hylobates Hoolock Nomascus Symphalangus Gibbons are the small apes that are grouped in the family Hylobatidae. ...

Behaviour

The Clouded Leopard is a tree dweller, and has a squirrel-like agility like the Margay of South America. In captivity, the Clouded Leopard routinely hangs by its hind legs using its long tail for balance and runs head-first down tree trunks. Little is known about its behaviour in the wild, but it is assumed that it is highly arboreal and that a favoured hunting tactic is to drop on prey from the trees. This article is about the animal. ... Binomial name (Schinz, 1821) Margay range map Synonyms Felis wiedii The Margay (Leopardus wiedii) is a spotted cat native to Central and South America. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...

The habits and behaviour of the Clouded Leopard in the wild are virtually unknown to man because of the animal's secretive nature. With a lack of evidence for a pack- or pride-society like that of the Lion, it is assumed that it is a generally solitary creature. Certainly it interacts with other Clouded Leopards while engaged in activities relating to mating and rearing young. While it was once assumed that the Clouded Leopard was active only at night, the cat has now been observed during the day.

Breeding

Females give birth to a litter of 1 to 5 cubs after a gestation period of about 85 to 93 days. Initially, the young are blind and helpless, much like the young of many other cats. Unlike adults, the kittens' spots are "solid"—completely dark rather than dark rings. The young can see within about 10 days of birth, are active within 5 weeks, and probably become independent at about 10 months of age. The Clouded Leopard reaches sexual maturity at two years of age and females are able to bear one litter each year. Adults in captivity have lived as long as 17 years: in the wild, they have an average 11 year lifespan. This gives hope that the Clouded Leopard will be able to increase its numbers with careful management. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 Ã— 1536 pixel, file size: 441 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The content of this image was reviewed by Quadell and afterwards uploaded by FlickrLickr. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 Ã— 1536 pixel, file size: 441 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The content of this image was reviewed by Quadell and afterwards uploaded by FlickrLickr. ...

Despite these facts, captive breeding programs met with little success in their early stages, largely because the females were frequently killed by aggressive males; largely due to ignorance of courtship activity among these cats in the wild. Normally, the Clouded Leopard is not aggressive. Experience has taught keepers that carefully selected pairs of Clouded Leopards introduced and given opportunities to bond often breed successfully, although this is more art than science and takes great patience to achieve.

Carefully regulated introductions between prospective mating pairs and breeding programmes that take into account the requirements for enriched enclosures with adequate space to permit climbing, provide and stimulate natural behaviour, remove sources of exposure and minimise stress combined with a feeding programme that fulfills the proper dietary requirements have proven more successful in recent years. Cats born in captivity may one day supplement and bolster threatened populations in the wild.

Conservation and threats

Because the Clouded Leopard's habits make it difficult to study, reliable estimates of its population do not exist. The World Conservation Union estimates that fewer than 10,000 individuals exist, and warns that the population is declining.^[2] Habitat loss due to widespread deforestation and hunting for use in Chinese medicinal preparations are thought to be causing populations of the Clouded Leopard to decline. Only six Clouded Leopards have ever been radio collared and their territorial movements monitored and recorded by scientists using radio telemetry. All of these cats were studied within Thailand. Almost all that is known of the Clouded Leopard today comes from studies of the cats in captivity. Apart from anecdotal accounts very little is known of the Clouded Leopard's natural history, ecology and behaviour in the wild throughout its range. The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Traditional Chinese medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ...

The World Conservation Union, the organization that maintains the global Red List of endangered species, lists the Clouded Leopard as Vulnerable.^[2] In addition, CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, lists the Clouded Leopard as an Appendix I species, meaning that international trade in Clouded Leopards is banned. The United States also lists the Clouded Leopard under the Endangered Species Act, further prohibiting trade in the animals or any parts or products made from them in the United States. In the countries of its native range, hunting of the Clouded Leopard is prohibited; however, these bans are poorly enforced. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species. ... The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement between Governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). ... The Endangered Species Act (, et seq. ...

References

^ Wozencraft, W. C. (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 545-546. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c Cat Specialist Group (2002). Neofelis nebulosa. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable
^ Clouded Leopard
^ Buckley-Beason, V., et al. (2006-12-05). "Molecular Evidence for Species-Level Distinctions in Clouded Leopards". Current Biology 16 (23): 2371-2376.
^ Kitchener, A., et al. (2006-12-05). "Geographical Variation in the Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa, Reveals Two Species". Current Biology 16 (23): 2377-2383.

is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... The World Conservation Union or International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ...

External links

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Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or ; from Latin carÅ (stem carn-) flesh, + vorÄre to devour) includes over 260 species of placental mammals. ... Families Canidae Felidae Herpestidae Hyaenidae Mephitidae Mustelidae Nandiniidae Odobenidae Pinnipedia Procyonidae Ursidae Viverridae The diverse order Carnivora includes over 260 placental mammals. ... Genera Caracal Catopuma Felis Herpailurus Leopardus Leptailurus Lynx Oncifelis Oreailurus Otocolobus Prionailurus Profelis Puma Felinae is a subfamily of the Felidae, the family which contains all true cats. ... Felis is a genus of cats in the family Felidae. ... Binomial name Milne-Edwards, 1892 The Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis bieti), also known as the Chinese Desert Cat, is a small wild cat of western China. ... Binomial name Felis chaus Schreber, 1777 The Jungle Cat (Felis chaus), also called the Swamp Lynx (although not closely related to the lynxes), is a small cat with a rather short tail (length 70 cm, plus 30 cm tail). ... Binomial name Otocolobus manul Pallas, 1776 The Pallas Cat (Otocolobus manul, or Felis manul) or Manul is a small wild cat of Central Asia. ... Binomial name Felis nigripes Burchell, 1824 The Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes) is a small wild cat distributed over South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and marginally into Zimbabwe. ... Binomial name Felis silvestris Schreber, 1775 subspecies See text The Wildcat (Felis silvestris), sometimes Wild Cat or Wild-cat, is a small predator native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa. ... Species Prionailurus bengalensis Prionailurus planiceps Prionailurus rubiginosus Prionailurus viverrinus Prionailurus is the genus of Asian small cats, one of the groupings of wild cats. ... Binomial name Felis bengalensis (Kerr, 1792) The Leopard Cat (Felis bengalensis) is a small wild cat of Southeast Asia. ... Trinomial name Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis The Iriomote Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis, Felis bengalensis iriomotensis or Mayailurus iriomotensis; Japanese: è¥¿è¡¨å±±çŒ« Iriomote-yamaneko), is a subspecies of leopard cat that lives exclusively on the Japanese island of Iriomote. ... Binomial name Prionailurus planiceps (Vigors, 1827) The Flat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps, sometimes Felis planiceps or Ictailurus planiceps) is a small wild cat of Southeast Asia. ... Binomial name Prionailurus rubiginosus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) The Rusty-spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus, sometimes Felis rubiginosa) is a small wild cat of southern India and Sri Lanka. ... Binomial name Prionailurus viverrinus or Felis viverrina (Bennett, 1833) The Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus or Felis viverrina) is a medium-sized cat of Asia. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1771) Cougar range map The cougar (Puma concolor), also puma, mountain lion, or panther, is a mammal of the Felidae family, native to the Americas. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1771) Cougar range map The cougar (Puma concolor), also puma, mountain lion, or panther, is a mammal of the Felidae family, native to the Americas. ... Binomial name Herpailurus yaguarondi (Lacépède, 1809) The Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi) is a medium-sized Central and South American wild cat: length 30 inches (65 cm) with 20 inches (45 cm) of tail. ... This article is about the animal. ... This article is about the animal. ... For other uses, see Lynx (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Kerr, 1792 The Canadian Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a North American mammal of the cat family, Felidae. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Eurasian lynx range The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, where it is one of the predators. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... For other uses, see Bobcat (disambiguation). ... Leopards are cool This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Binomial name Leopardus braccatus The Pantanal (Leopardus braccatus) is a small feline of Brazil and northern Argentina. ... Colocolo may refer to: Colocolo (tribal chief): Araucanian tribal chief Colo-Colo: A Chilean football team Monito del Monte: A South American marsupial This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Binomial name Oncifelis geoffroyi (dOrbigny & Gervais, 1844) The Geoffroys cat is probably the most common wild cat in South America. ... Binomial name Oncifelis guigna (Molina, 1782) Kodkod The Kodkod (Oncifelis guigna), also known as Guigna, is the smallest felid in the Americas and is found only in Chile and Argentina. ... Binomial name Oreailurus jacobita Cornalia, 1865 The Andean Cat is also known as the Andean Mountain Cat. ... Binomial name (Desmarest, 1816) The Pampas Cat (Leopardus pajeros) is a small feline from the Pampas area of Argentina and Chile. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) Ocelot range The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), also known as the Painted Leopard, McKenneys Wildcat or Manigordo (in Costa Rica), is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the... Binomial name Leopardus tigrinus (Schreber, 1775) The Little Spotted Cat (Leopardus tigrinus, sometimes Oncifelis tigrinus or Felis tigrina) is also known as Oncilla, Tigrillo or Tiger Cat. ... Binomial name (Schinz, 1821) Margay range map Synonyms Felis wiedii The Margay (Leopardus wiedii) is a spotted cat native to Central and South America. ... For the commune in northern France, see Serval, Aisne. ... For the commune in northern France, see Serval, Aisne. ... Binomial name Caracal caracal (Schreber, 1776) Type species Caracal melanotis Gray, 1843 (= Felis caracal Schreber, 1776) by monotypy Caracal range map Synonyms Felis caracal The Caracal (Caracal caracal), also called Persian Lynx or African Lynx, is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat. ... Binomial name Caracal caracal (Schreber, 1776) Type species Caracal melanotis Gray, 1843 (= Felis caracal Schreber, 1776) by monotypy Caracal range map Synonyms Felis caracal The Caracal (Caracal caracal), also called Persian Lynx or African Lynx, is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat. ... Binomial name The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa. ... Binomial name The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa. ... A golden cat is a medium-sized wild cat belonging to either the genus Catopuma or Profelis. ... Binomial name Catopuma badia Gray, 1874 The Bay Cat (Catopuma badia, other genus names in use are Felis, Profelis or Badiofelis) is also known as Bornean Cat or Bornean Bay Cat, since it is endemic to the island of Borneo. ... Binomial name Catopuma temminckii (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) The Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii, previously been placed in genera Profelis and Felis), also called the Asiatic Golden Cat and Temmincks Golden Cat, is a medium-sized wild cat (length 90 cm, plus 50 cm tail) weighing from 12 to 16... Binomial name Pardofelis marmorata Martin, 1837 The Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata) is similar in size to the Domestic Cat, with a longer, more thickly furred tail, an indicator of an arboreal life-style, where the tail is used as a counterbalance. ... Binomial name Pardofelis marmorata Martin, 1837 The Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata) is similar in size to the Domestic Cat, with a longer, more thickly furred tail, an indicator of an arboreal life-style, where the tail is used as a counterbalance. ... Genera Neofelis Panthera Uncia Pantherinae is a sub-family of the family Felidae which include the genera Panthera, Uncia and Neofelis. ... Binomial name Neofelis nebulosa (Griffith, 1821) The Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa is a medium-sized cat, 60 to 110 cm long and weighing between 11 and 20 kg. ... Binomial name Neofelis diardi (G. Cuvier, 1823) Range Synonyms Felis diardii Felis macrocelis Felis marmota Neofelis nebulosa diardi Neofelis diardi is a medium-sized wild cat found on Borneo, Sumatra and the Batu Islands in the Malay Archipelago and publicised under the name Bornean Clouded Leopard by the World Wide... For other uses, see Panthera (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lion (disambiguation). ... keels is bent and she has a big nose which she picks every day. ... This article is about the big cat. ... For other uses, see Tiger (disambiguation). ... Binomial name (Schreber, 1775) Range map Synonyms Uncia uncia The Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia), sometimes known as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia from Afghanistan to Lake Baikal and eastern Tibet. ... Binomial name (Schreber, 1775) Range map Synonyms Uncia uncia The Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia), sometimes known as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia from Afghanistan to Lake Baikal and eastern Tibet. ...

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