Clouded Leopard

The clouded leopard is a medium-sized wild cat native to the forests of the Himalayan foothills and mainland Southeast Asia, named for the large, irregular cloud-like blotches that mark its grey to yellowish-brown coat. It has the proportionally longest canine teeth of any living cat relative to its skull size, along with short, sturdy legs and an unusually long tail that aid an exceptional climbing ability, allowing it to descend trees head first and even hang from branches by its hind feet. Largely nocturnal and elusive, it hunts monkeys, birds, deer and rodents, using both ambush from trees and pursuit on the ground. Its evolutionary position is distinctive as well, often regarded as a link between the big cats and smaller cat species, and it sits in its own genus separate from both. Habitat loss from deforestation and hunting for its fur and bones have driven population declines across its range, and the species is classified as vulnerable.