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Life Span:
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Unknown
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Size:
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This medium-sized cat weighs up to 60 pounds. It is not a “small cat,” but the smallest
of the “big cats.” It has short powerful limbs, a long tail, large paws and short legs.
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Color:
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Their fur ranges from pale yellow to brown with darker cloud-like markings. Clouded Leopards
are brownish to rich gold in color, marked with huge, dark blotches, hence the name "clouded"
(the Latin name means "fogged"). The face has dark spots with two black bands running across
their cheeks.
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Physical Description:
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It has the body size and shape of a small cat, but the teeth and skull structure of a big cat.
It is long-bodied and stocky with short legs, large paws and a thick, long tail almost as long
as its body. It has a rounded head with a long muzzle. The rare clouded leopard has a long,
powerful body, short legs, and a long tail. It is a good climber and hunts by pouncing from
trees, as well as by stalking prey on the ground. It kills with a single bite. They have
relatively short legs and large paws. Clouded leopards' long tails help them balance on narrow
branches and jump safely from tree to tree.
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Distribution:
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The clouded leopard is native to Southeast Asia and are extremely endangered. They are found in the
Himalayas of Nepal east to China and south to southeastern Asia, and Taiwan to peninsula Malaysia
and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.
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Habitat:
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Little is known of the habits of this elusive forest cat. The habitat of the clouded leopard is
generally that of dense tropical forest up to a height of 7,000 feet, however recent reports
indicate that the cat may also inhabit more open forested terrain and swamp margins.
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Primary prey:
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The clouded leopard hunts in trees, preying on monkeys, squirrels, and birds. Prey is ambushed as
the Clouded Leopard hangs from trees by its hind legs falls on it. On the ground, its short legs
make it rather clumsy. Additional prey include small mammals such as pigs, cattle, goats, deer,
and porcupines.
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Conservation Status:
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Clouded leopards are listed as vulnerable on the World Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened
Animals. The status of the clouded leopard is probably healthiest on the island of Borneo, possibly
because of the absence of tigers and leopards.
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Principal threats:
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They are threatened by a high demand for their attractive pelts, which have ceremonial meaning in
Taiwan. Due to the reclusive nature of the clouded leopard, it is difficult to assess how many remain
in the wild, but they are highly endangered in some areas, and only relatively stable in others.
Deforestation, habitat destruction, and poaching are major concerns for the future of the clouded leopard.
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