Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopards are not clouds or leopards.

Clouded leopards, also known as ‘mint leopards’, are three subspecies of large cats, native to the forests of China and Southeast Asia.
Clouded leopards are from the family Felidae, the family of cats, and have the scientific name Neofelis nebulosa.
A clouded leopard’s fur is dark grey to earthy brown in colour, and it is marked with dark designs, usually in cloud like patterns, as well as stripes and spots.
Despite their name, clouded leopards are not in the same genus as leopards and are only related because they belong in the same subfamily.
Clouded leopards range from 60 to 108 centimetres (2 to 3.6 feet) in body length, and have a long tail, and can grow to be 11.5 to 23 kilograms (25 to 51 pounds) in weight.

Compared to their body size, clouded leopards have upper teeth that are exceptionally long, that can be at least 4 centimetres (1.6 inches) in length, and they have longer back legs that allow increased jumping capabilities.
Clouded leopards have an average of two or three cubs per litter, with a possibility of one to five cubs.
Clouded leopards are said to be the best climbers in the cat family, are good swimmers, and generally they reside in treetops.
Clouded leopards have a carnivorous diet, that includes vertebrates that live on land, like pigs and monkeys, as well as birds, but specific prey, along with much other behavioural information, is largely unknown, even though their existence was first recorded in 1821.
Clouded leopards are endangered, due to habitat loss and illegal hunting, particularly for fur coats, and in captivity they are known to reach the age of 17, although they are more likely to only live as long as 11 years of age.

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