Clouded leopard vs snow leopard: how to tell them apart
They share the word leopard and a reputation for being elusive, but the clouded leopard and the snow leopard are different animals living very different lives. Confusingly, neither is a true leopard (Panthera pardus). Here is a clear, sourced comparison. For a deeper look at one of them, see our clouded leopard species guide.
1. Name versus reality
The clouded leopard belongs to its own genus, Neofelis, not to Panthera. The snow leopard is a Panthera cat. So despite the labels, the clouded leopard is not a small leopard and the two are distinct species, each named for its coat rather than its lineage.
2. Size
The clouded leopard is medium-sized, weighing roughly 11.5 to 26 kg with a head-and-body length of about 69 to 108 cm. The snow leopard is the larger animal, a true big cat of the high mountains.
3. Habitat
This is the clearest split. Clouded leopards live in tropical and subtropical forests, from the Himalayan foothills to Borneo and Sumatra, and are superb climbers. Snow leopards inhabit cold, rugged mountains and high alpine terrain across Central Asia.
4. Coat and markings
The clouded leopard wears a smoky grey-to-tan coat patterned with large, dark-edged cloud-shaped blotches. The snow leopard has thick, pale, smoky-grey fur dotted with dark rosettes, insulation for a freezing world.
5. Climbing ability
The clouded leopard is one of the most arboreal of all cats, with ankles that rotate roughly 180 degrees so it can climb down headfirst. The snow leopard is a ground-dwelling mountain specialist built for leaping across rock.
6. Conservation status
Both clouded leopard species are assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with the Bornean and Sumatran subspecies rated Endangered. The snow leopard is also assessed as Vulnerable. All face habitat loss and illegal hunting.
So which is which?
If the cat is grey with large cloud-shaped patches, in a forest, and looks like an expert climber, it is a clouded leopard. If it is pale and rosette-spotted on a cold mountain, it is a snow leopard.
For the clouded leopard, the front line runs through Indonesian and Malaysian forests, where WARN funds local partners working to keep that habitat intact and snare-free.
Read the full clouded leopard wildlife guide for IUCN status and conservation context, or support WARN to help fund the local partners protecting this species.
Read the full Clouded leopard wildlife guide for the facts, IUCN status and conservation context — or donate to WARN to help fund the local partners protecting this species.
