Wildlife Guide · Indonesia & Malaysia

Clouded Leopard

Q: How can I help save the clouded leopard?

The most effective way to help the clouded leopard is to fund the frontline rescue and habitat protection that keeps the species alive — WARN channels donations to partner-led teams working where the need is greatest. You can also ease the pressures behind its decline by avoiding the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buying wild animals as pets, and choosing sustainable products, and by sharing accurate information to build wider support. See the ways to help below, or support WARN's Support Big Cat Rescue.

Q: How long do clouded leopards live?

In human care they commonly live to about 11 years, with some individuals reaching around 17. Lifespan in the wild is poorly documented but is generally believed to be shorter.

Q: What do clouded leopards eat?

They are carnivores that hunt a range of prey including monkeys, deer, wild pigs, porcupines, squirrels, birds and other small to medium mammals, taking prey both in trees and on the ground.

Q: How big is a clouded leopard?

They are medium-sized cats, weighing roughly 11.5–26 kg (about 25–57 lb) depending on species and sex, with a head-and-body length of about 69–108 cm and a tail nearly as long as the body.

Q: Are clouded leopards dangerous to humans?

No. Clouded leopards are shy, secretive and largely nocturnal, and there are no records of them being a meaningful danger to people. They avoid humans and are far more threatened by us than we are by them.

Q: How many clouded leopards are left?

There is no precise count. The mainland clouded leopard is estimated at roughly 3,700–5,580 mature individuals, and the Sunda clouded leopard at fewer than 10,000 mature individuals; both populations are decreasing.

Q: Why are clouded leopards endangered?

Both species are assessed as Vulnerable, mainly because of rapid deforestation for plantations and logging, deliberate hunting for their skins, teeth and bones, and accidental capture in snares. Island subspecies in Borneo and Sumatra are rated Endangered.

Q: What is a baby clouded leopard called?

A baby clouded leopard is called a cub. Litters usually contain one to five cubs, most often two or three.

Q: Where do clouded leopards live?

Clouded leopards live in the forests of Asia. The mainland species (Neofelis nebulosa) ranges across the Himalayas and South-east Asia, while the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) is found on Borneo and Sumatra. Both are tree-dwelling cats of dense forest, assessed as Vulnerable with shrinking, fragmented populations driven by forest loss and snaring.

Neofelis nebulosa & Neofelis diardi

The forest ghost with a sabre-tooth's smile and an acrobat's ankles.

Vulnerable (both species) — island subspecies assessed Endangered

A clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) crouching low among dry leaf litter and tree roots in a forest, its tawny coat with distinctive large dark cloud-shaped blotches clearly visible along the flanks and back

Image: Photo: Dr. Raju Kasambe / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

In brief

A clouded leopard is a medium-sized arboreal wild cat native to the forests of Asia, recognised by its cloud-shaped coat patches and famous for having the longest canine teeth relative to body size of any living cat; two species exist, the mainland (Neofelis nebulosa) and Sunda (Neofelis diardi) clouded leopards, both listed as Vulnerable.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated June 2026

The clouded leopard is a mid-sized, tree-dwelling wild cat of Asia's forests, named for the smoky cloud-shaped markings on its coat. Two separate species are now recognised: the mainland clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) of Borneo and Sumatra. Both are assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, with shrinking, fragmented populations driven down by forest loss and snaring.

4 cm

Canine teeth — longest of any cat for its size

180°

Ankle rotation, allowing headfirst tree descent

Vulnerable

IUCN status for both clouded leopard species

<10,000

Estimated mature Sunda clouded leopards

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Neofelis nebulosa (Clouded Leopard), IUCN Red List — Neofelis diardi (Sunda Clouded Leopard), IUCN Cat Specialist Group — Clouded Leopard and other references on this page.

Clouded Leopard: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Clouded Leopard
Lifespan	~11 years typical in care; up to ~17
Weight	11.5–26 kg (25–57 lb)
Head-body length	~69–108 cm, plus a tail nearly as long as the body
Diet	Carnivore — monkeys, deer, wild pigs, birds, small mammals
Gestation	~85–110 days
Young per birth	1–5 cubs, usually 2–3
Baby name	Cub
Notable trait	Longest canines of any living cat for its size (~4 cm)
Climbing	Ankles rotate ~180°, enabling headfirst tree descent
CITES	Appendix I (both species)

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Clouded Leopard
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Carnivora
Family	Felidae
Subfamily	Pantherinae
Genus	Neofelis
Species	Neofelis nebulosa (Griffith, 1821) — mainland; and Neofelis diardi (Cuvier, 1823) — Sunda

Conservation Status

IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Population: Mainland (N. nebulosa): ~3,700–5,580 mature individuals; Sunda (N. diardi): fewer than 10,000 mature individuals
Trend: Decreasing
Assessed: Mainland assessed 2021 (IUCN Red List 2022.2); Sunda assessed 2015
CITES: Appendix I (both species)

Both species are rated Vulnerable, but the two Sunda subspecies — Bornean (N. d. borneensis) and Sumatran (N. d. diardi) — are each assessed as Endangered. Estimates carry wide uncertainty because these cats are elusive and live at low densities.

Did you know?

Clouded leopards can climb down a tree trunk headfirst and even hang upside-down from a branch by their hind feet, thanks to ankle joints that rotate almost 180 degrees.

Key Facts: Clouded Leopard

Two distinct species exist: the mainland clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), split into separate species in the mid-2000s based on genetic and pelt differences.
Relative to body size, clouded leopards have the longest canine teeth of any living cat — around 4 cm (about 2 inches) — earning them the nickname 'modern-day sabre-tooth'.
They are among the most arboreal of cats: rotating ankle joints let them climb down trees headfirst and even hang from branches by their hind feet.
Both species are assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN with decreasing populations; the mainland species is estimated at roughly 3,700–5,580 mature individuals.
Within WARN's network range, the Sunda clouded leopard occurs in Indonesia (Borneo and Sumatra) and Malaysia (Borneo), where oil-palm-driven deforestation is a leading threat.
Both species are listed on CITES Appendix I, banning commercial international trade, yet illegal hunting for skins, teeth and bones continues.

Two species, one cloud-patterned cat

For most of the 20th century all clouded leopards were treated as a single species. Genetic and morphological studies in the mid-2000s showed that the island populations of Borneo and Sumatra were distinct enough to be recognised as a separate species, Neofelis diardi, the Sunda clouded leopard, leaving the mainland populations as Neofelis nebulosa. The two look similar but differ in detail: mainland cats tend to have larger, paler cloud markings with fewer interior spots, while Sunda cats are darker with smaller, more densely spotted clouds. The Sunda species is itself divided into two subspecies, the Bornean (N. d. borneensis) and Sumatran (N. d. diardi) clouded leopards, both of which the IUCN has assessed as Endangered even though the species overall is rated Vulnerable.

Built for the canopy

Clouded leopards are arguably the most accomplished tree-climbers among the wild cats. They have short, powerful legs, broad paws and exceptionally flexible ankle joints that can rotate roughly 180 degrees, letting them descend trunks headfirst, run along the undersides of branches and hang by their hind feet. A tail almost as long as the body acts as a balancing pole. Their most striking feature is dental: their upper canines are the longest of any living cat relative to skull and body size, reaching about 4 cm, which has led scientists to compare them loosely to the extinct sabre-toothed cats. They are largely nocturnal and secretive, hunting birds, monkeys, deer, wild pigs and small mammals both in the trees and on the ground.

Why they are threatened

Both clouded leopard species are in decline, and the IUCN infers a population reduction of more than 30 percent across recent generations for the mainland species. The dominant pressures are habitat loss and fragmentation — Southeast Asia has some of the world's fastest rates of forest clearance, much of it for oil-palm and other plantations — together with hunting. Clouded leopards are killed deliberately for their distinctively patterned skins, teeth and bones, which feed illegal wildlife markets and traditional medicine, and are caught incidentally in the wire snares set across their range for other animals. Because they are elusive and live at low densities, reliable range-wide population counts are difficult, and estimates carry wide uncertainty.

What rescue and protection involve

Protecting clouded leopards is mostly about protecting forest and stopping snaring rather than hands-on animal rescue, because wild individuals are rarely seen. Practical work in their range includes anti-poaching and snare-removal patrols, camera-trap monitoring to track where cats survive, securing and connecting protected forest blocks, and caring for cubs and adults confiscated from the illegal pet and skin trade. In Indonesia and Malaysia, this depends on locally based ranger teams, wildlife rescue centres and sanctuaries that can respond to seizures and rehabilitate animals where possible.

Mainland vs Sunda clouded leopard

Feature	Mainland (Neofelis nebulosa)	Sunda (Neofelis diardi)
Range	Mainland Asia: Himalayas to Indochina and Peninsular Malaysia	Islands of Borneo and Sumatra
Coat pattern	Larger, paler cloud blotches with few inner spots	Smaller, darker clouds with many inner spots
IUCN status	Vulnerable (2021)	Vulnerable (2015); both subspecies Endangered
Population estimate	~3,700–5,580 mature individuals	Fewer than 10,000 mature individuals
CITES	Appendix I	Appendix I
WARN range overlap	Largely outside WARN's partner network	Within Indonesia and Malaysia — WARN's funded focus

What WARN Does

WARN CIC is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that funds local partner shelters, sanctuaries and rescue teams across its partner network. The Sunda clouded leopard's range falls squarely within two of those countries — Indonesia and Malaysia — so this species sits inside WARN's funded focus: supporting partners that run anti-snaring patrols, monitor forests and care for confiscated wildlife on Borneo and Sumatra. The mainland clouded leopard ranges across other Asian countries outside the countries where WARN's partners work, so for those populations WARN's role is education and awareness rather than direct funding, and we are honest about that limit.

A gift to WARN helps fund the local Indonesian and Malaysian partners working to keep Borneo's and Sumatra's forests standing and snare-free — the difference between a future with the Sunda clouded leopard and one without.

Support Big Cat Rescue Donate to WARN

How can I help save the clouded leopard?

There are three practical things that make a real difference for the clouded leopard — and the first is the one that funds everything else.

Fund frontline rescue

Back the partner-led teams, veterinary care and protection that reach clouded leopards where the need is greatest — WARN channels donations straight to that work.

Ease the pressures

Avoid the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buy wild animals as pets, and choose sustainable, habitat-friendly products — the threats behind the clouded leopard's decline fall when demand does.

Spread the word

Share accurate, sourced information about the clouded leopard. Wider awareness is what turns concern into lasting protection.

Support Big Cat Rescue Donate monthly

Clouded Leopard: Frequently Asked Questions

How can I help save the clouded leopard?

The most effective way to help the clouded leopard is to fund the frontline rescue and habitat protection that keeps the species alive — WARN channels donations to partner-led teams working where the need is greatest. You can also ease the pressures behind its decline by avoiding the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buying wild animals as pets, and choosing sustainable products, and by sharing accurate information to build wider support. See the ways to help below, or support WARN's Support Big Cat Rescue.

How long do clouded leopards live?

In human care they commonly live to about 11 years, with some individuals reaching around 17. Lifespan in the wild is poorly documented but is generally believed to be shorter.

What do clouded leopards eat?

They are carnivores that hunt a range of prey including monkeys, deer, wild pigs, porcupines, squirrels, birds and other small to medium mammals, taking prey both in trees and on the ground.

How big is a clouded leopard?

They are medium-sized cats, weighing roughly 11.5–26 kg (about 25–57 lb) depending on species and sex, with a head-and-body length of about 69–108 cm and a tail nearly as long as the body.

Are clouded leopards dangerous to humans?

No. Clouded leopards are shy, secretive and largely nocturnal, and there are no records of them being a meaningful danger to people. They avoid humans and are far more threatened by us than we are by them.

How many clouded leopards are left?

There is no precise count. The mainland clouded leopard is estimated at roughly 3,700–5,580 mature individuals, and the Sunda clouded leopard at fewer than 10,000 mature individuals; both populations are decreasing.

Why are clouded leopards endangered?

Both species are assessed as Vulnerable, mainly because of rapid deforestation for plantations and logging, deliberate hunting for their skins, teeth and bones, and accidental capture in snares. Island subspecies in Borneo and Sumatra are rated Endangered.

What is a baby clouded leopard called?

A baby clouded leopard is called a cub. Litters usually contain one to five cubs, most often two or three.

Where do clouded leopards live?

Clouded leopards live in the forests of Asia. The mainland species (Neofelis nebulosa) ranges across the Himalayas and South-east Asia, while the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) is found on Borneo and Sumatra. Both are tree-dwelling cats of dense forest, assessed as Vulnerable with shrinking, fragmented populations driven by forest loss and snaring.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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