Clouded leopards face habitat loss and active persecution through the illegal pet trade and hunting for their strikingly patterned pelts.
Cubs removed from their mothers for the pet trade experience profound early-life stress and social deprivation. Clouded leopards require vast home ranges and complex three-dimensional environments; captive animals confined to small cages exhibit chronic stress, repetitive behaviours, and self-injury. Animals confiscated from illegal trade often cannot be rehabilitated for release. Deforestation removes the dense forest habitat these cats require, increasing human-wildlife contact and conflict.