Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
IUCN: VU (Vulnerable – sebezhető)
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Habitat
Tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps and grasslands
Informations
The clouded leopard is not only rare but also extremely elusive, which means that much of what we know about the species comes from observations of animals kept in captivity. Among all wild cats, the clouded leopard has the longest canine teeth relative to the size of its head and body. These impressive fangs can exceed 4 centimeters in length.
Like other members of the cat family, it can growl, meow, hiss and snarl, but it rarely purrs. Instead, it expresses friendliness or comfort toward another individual with soft snorting sounds. Its hind legs are longer than its front legs, a feature that helps it move efficiently in trees. Its main prey consists of arboreal mammals. The clouded leopard is an excellent climber, and its long tail helps it maintain balance while moving along branches.
Adult individuals have distinctive cloud-shaped markings on their fur, while the cubs are born with solid dark spots. The species is threatened by habitat loss caused by deforestation as well as by poaching.
Clouded leopards prefer tropical and subtropical rainforests at elevations of up to 2000 meters, though they are occasionally seen in mangrove swamps and open grasslands.
Our animals
Tempó and Zafíra were born in 2011 and arrived at the new Asia-House in 2012—Tempó came from France and Zafíra from England.
