Wildlife

Wild Clouded Leopard Arboreal Welfare in Southeast Asia

Clouded leopards are highly arboreal cats of Southeast Asian forests. Their welfare in the wild and in zoos depends on access to dense forest canopy and prey availability.

Key Facts

Clouded leopards have the largest canine teeth relative to skull size of any wild cat
They are the only cats with the ability to climb headfirst down vertical surfaces
Sunda and Indochinese clouded leopards are now recognised as separate species
Deforestation in Borneo and Sumatra is the primary welfare and conservation threat

Welfare Considerations

Clouded leopard welfare requires dense, multi-layered forest with abundant arboreal prey. In zoos, enclosure design must provide substantial vertical climbing space and complex cover. Camera trapping is the primary welfare monitoring tool given their highly elusive nature.

What You Can Do

Support Panthera clouded leopard research in Borneo
Avoid palm oil products without RSPO certification that is driving Borneo deforestation
Ask zoos with clouded leopards about their enclosure design and enrichment