Clouded leopards are elusive, arboreal wild cats whose welfare in captivity is challenging due to their secretive nature and severe aggression between pairs.
Clouded leopard welfare in zoos is complicated by a unique management challenge: males frequently kill females during attempted breeding, making pair housing inherently dangerous. This has led to the development of careful introduction protocols and the controversial practice of hand-raising cubs together from birth to promote social bonding. Hand-raising removes cubs from normal maternal care but may improve long-term pair compatibility and breeding success. The welfare trade-off requires careful assessment. Beyond breeding management, clouded leopards need extensive arboreal structures that allow the full expression of their climbing-dominant behavioral repertoire, and exhibit design must include substantial privacy from visitors to minimize chronic stress in this secretive species.