Mainland Clouded Leopard

The mainland clouded leopard is a forest cat in the distinct genus Neofelis rather than a true leopard of the genus Panthera. Its coat carries large cloud-shaped markings that break up the body outline. Taxonomic work separated the Sunda clouded leopard of Borneo and Sumatra, leaving Neofelis nebulosa for the continental species (revised felid taxonomy; Animal Diversity Web).

Its range runs south of the Himalaya through Nepal, Bhutan and north-eastern India into Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, mainland Malaysia and southern China. The species remains difficult to study in dense forest, and many aspects of wild behaviour are still poorly documented, so captive observations are not generalized here (Animal Diversity Web; review of clouded-leopard knowledge). It is Nationally Vulnerable (Thailand Red Data 2025).