Clouded leopard

Wildlife crime and trafficking have ballooned to a multi-billion-dollar industry that is now one of the top five most lucrative illegal trades globally. The criminal networks vary by region, ranging from informal local markets to highly organized criminal operations with multiple levels. While big cats have long been poached for their skin, bones, fangs and other body parts, poachers are increasingly targeting small wild cats, including clouded leopards, servals and other small cat species.

We are celebrating the wonders of the wild and all that lives within it this World Wildlife Day. Not only does this day raise awareness, but it also marks a significant anniversary — fifty years of CITES (the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), since its signing on March 3, 1973. From its earliest days, CITES has played a critical role in mitigating the threats to wild cats from unsustainable trade in their body parts.

Today is International Clouded Leopard Day! These sizeable small cats roam throughout Asia, but in the Malay Archipelago, a special species persists. Watch this video to learn about the Sunda clouded leopard, its life among the rainforest, the threats it faces in its island dominion — and what Panthera is doing to help.

July 29, 2021

Tigers are on the razor’s edge of extinction in Malaysia, but Panthera’s multifaceted project in Taman Negara National Park is bringing back hope for these big cats. By exploring and integrating the many different elements of conservation, we are proving that protecting a catscape like this can have a wide range of benefits for wildlife and the communities they live alongside.

February 8, 2021

Panthera's conservation work has long benefitted small cats and other wildlife in the iconic seven big cats' habitats. However, in 2018 we officially launched our Small Cats Program to expand our understanding of these increasingly threatened species and how to protect them. However, each of the 33 species of small cat has its own unique conservation challenges.

October 30, 2018

The first-ever International Clouded Leopard Day is August 4, 2018, created to raise global awareness for the enigmatic species. This is sorely needed: Much of the information about the clouded leopard’s conservation status and needs — as well as the threats they face — remains shrouded in mystery.

Consider this your Clouded Leopard 101 class.