04/08/2026
Happy international clouded leopard day
Clouded leopards are native to South East Asia and despite there name there not part of the leopard family.
Clouded leopards possess the largest canine teeth relative to body size of any living feline
Clouded leopards are the only cat whose ankle joints can rotate nearly 180 degrees, they are one of the only cat species capable of scaling down tree trunks headfirst. They can also hang upside down from branches using only their hind paws.
They face severe threats from large-scale deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and illegal poaching for their beautiful skins and teeth. Because they are incredibly secretive and nocturnal, wild populations are difficult to track
Clouded leopards are classed as vulnerable in the wild with populations declining
International Clouded Leopard Day was started at Howletts Wild Animal Park by 2 of there keepers. Every year clouded leopard day is celebrated to educate raise awareness and show off how incredible this elusive species are and how important they are for our rainforest and natural ecosystem
If you are visiting a zoo which has clouded leopards and can’t see them wait and come back later in the day be patient and wait for that moment the clouded leopard comes into view
It’s always great to see the big cats like lions and tigers but your zoo visit will always be better when you see the smaller more elusive animals as whenever it’s cloudy it’s cloudie there’s always a chance of awesome
