Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi)
World Land Trust
The identification of Sunda Clouded Leopard as a genetically separate species from mainland Asia’s Clouded Leopard .....
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World Land Trust
Behaviour

There are still a great many unknowns about the Sunda Clouded Leopard’s behaviour due to their highly secretive and nocturnal nature. Extensive camera trap studies are ongoing around the world to help build a body of knowledge that allows to better protect this species from being uplisted to Endangered and worse.

What is known so far indicates that these felids can breed all year round, producing litters of one to five cubs after a gestation period of 85-95 days. The cubs wean off their mother at 10 months of age and become reproductive when they reach two years old.

To sneak up on their prey – which ranges from monkey to macaques, deer, pigs, porcupines, fish and civets – the Sunda Clouded Leopard utilises its formidable climbing capabilities. Their flexible hind joints enable them to climb headfirst down vertical tree trunks and to even hang from branches as they grab hold of prey, boosting their grip by wrapping their long tails around the tree boughs.

Habitat

The Sunda Clouded Leopard appears to be forest-dependent within the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Within Borneo, this species occurs in lowland rainforest, below 1,500m of elevation, and densities have been estimated at between six to nine cats per 100km2. It is also thought to occur within the protected areas of Sabah, Malaysia.

Meanwhile, in Sumatra these tree-climbers are more abundant within hilly, montane areas but occur in much lower densities, possibly due to the competition with the Tiger (Panthera tigris) they share habitat with.