Skip to main content

Clouded leopard

Did you know?

Neofelis nebulosa

Can you spot our clouded leopards? It can be tricky – they’re shy, nocturnal and excellently camouflaged!

Here’s a tip: Try looking up. Clouded leopards are fantastic climbers.

Discover Clouded leopards

Habitat
Wild and Zoo
Clouded leopards live in tropical forests, grasslands, scrub and mangrove swamps in Nepal, Sikkim, southern China, Sumatra, Thailand and Borneo. Find them in the Asian Forest Sanctuary.
Asian Forest Sanctuary
Meet the Keepers
(they don't bite.)
Our elephant care team also look after the clouded leopards. They give a chat daily. Bring all your questions!
Zookeeper Life: Margaret

Meet our clouded leopards

Rakhan
Orchid
Banyan
Jao Ying
Sang Dao
Eating
(and predators!)
Clouded leopards are carnivores. They hunt monkeys, small deer, wild pigs, birds and rodents; also domestic calves, pigs, goats and poultry.
Their predators are mainly humans, hunting them for their pelts and to protect livestock; and by tigers.
Climbing trees
at six weeks.
In the wild, clouded leopards breed year-round. After a three-month gestation period, females give birth, usually in hollow trees, to litters of 1-5 cubs.
Cubs are born blind. They open their eyes after 10-12 days and by six weeks are climbing trees. They stay with their mothers for about 10 months, learning how to hunt.
Acrobats
and hunters.
Mostly solitary, clouded leopards hunt at night, They stalk their prey from the trees or ground and are rarely seen by people.
They can climb upside down, hang from branches with their hind feet and even climb down trees headfirst like a squirrel!

Protecting Clouded leopards

Vanishing forests.

THE THREAT: Clouded leopards are endangered. Their tropical forests are being cut down at the world’s fastest deforestation rate (around 1.2% yearly) for logging, human habitat and to grow palm oil, a common food product.

TAKE ACTION: Check products you use for sustainable palm oil, and encourage companies to make the switch. Send a letter, email or tweet, and download a Palm Oil Shopping App.

Asian forest Stories

Zoo Bamboo

It’s one of the fastest-growing plants in the world. It’s used for buildings, dishes, musical instruments. It’s food for animals and people. And there are over 45 types at Point … Continued

Read More
The tiniest buffalo

If the tiger is the king of the jungle, then the anoa would be the gardener. They’re not iconic like an elephant or acrobatic like a siamang. They don’t star … Continued

Read More
Tapirs Together Again!

What’s that sound? It’s the tapirs together again, sharing a habitat in the Asian Forest Sanctuary. Yuna (female) and Baku (male) know each other by smell and sound, but usually … Continued

Read More
Who's Nearby?
Visiting our clouded leopards? Then you’re super-close to our Asian elephant! Meet Suki and chat with her keepers at daily presentations.