Animal living in cloud- Indian Clouded Leopard

We all know that leopard is a lonely big cat  and it is difficult for researchers to take one shot of leopard in wild.

But, one more big cat family member is more rare and invisible than leopard, it is a cloud leopard.




Introduction



  • The clouded leopard is a wild cat occurring from the Himalayan foothills through  mainland Southeast Asia into China.


  • The scientific name of the clouded leopard is Neofelis nebulosa. It is one of two members of the genus Neofelis, and is classified under the family Felidae.
  • The other member of this genus is the Sunda Clouded Leopard


Physical Characteristics



  • Clouded leopard's weight is between 11.5 and 23 kg. Females vary in head-to-body length from 68.6to 94 cm , with a tail61 to 82 cm long.


  • Males are larger at 81 to 108 cm with a tail 74 to 91 cm long. Their shoulder height varies from 50 to 55 cm.
  • The fur of clouded leopards is of a dark grey colour, often largely obliterated by black and dark dusky-grey blotched pattern.
  • There are black spots on the head.
  • They have exceptionally long, piercing canine teeth, the upper pair of canines may measure 4 cm or longer.
  • They are often referred to as a " Modern day sabre- tooth " because they have the largest canines in proportion to their body size, matching the tiger in canine length 


 Population


  • The clouded leopard's reclusive nature has made it hard to determine population size.
  • However, there is an evidence of declining populations and one of four subspecies through to be extinct.


Reproduction

  • Both males and females average 26 months at first reproduction.

  • Mating usually occurs during December and March.

  • The males tend to be very aggressive during sexual encounters and have been known to bite females on the neck during courtship, severing her vertebrae.
  • After gestation period of 93 days (more or less 6 days), females give the birth to a little of one to five (most often three) cubs. 

Distribution


  • Clouded leopards occur from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal and India to Myanmar, Bhutan, Thailand, Peninsula, Malaysia, and in China south of the Yangtze river.
  • In India, they occur in Assam, northern West Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.


Some Interesting facts

  • The Clouded leopard is an almost monkey like climber and has been observed hanging from branches from its rear feet upside down!
  • As if that wasn't enough the clouded leopard is also a capable swimmer.
  • The clouded leopard is so elusive that the most of what is known about its biology comes from captive specimens 






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