Extinction is not a new word as it has been used for the devastation of numerous living beings till now. Some really stunning animals on our planet are on the edge of extinction more rapidly than we think. Many animals are already disappearing and even more, are extinct, and one such animal that is on the edge of extinction is the beautiful clouded leopard. Their species is also declared vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

It is always a magical sight to watch clouded leopards, but they are gradually vanishing from the wild. This spotted cat is the state animal of Meghalaya, and in India, these beautiful animals are restricted to the northeastern region only. The Dampa Tiger Reserve in the state of Mizoram holds the division of covering the highest number of clouded leopards in Southeast Asia. In this Reserve, the clouded leopards are locally known as Kelral, and they are 5.14 per 100 sq km in the area, which is situated along the Mizoram-Bangladesh and Tripura.

According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, clouded leopards are in danger these days with only about 10,000 remaining in the world. These clouded leopards are locally extinct in Singapore, Taiwan, and probably in Hainan island as well. Globally, the forest habitats of clouded leopards are confronting widespread degradation due to industrial logging and mismanagement of agricultural areas.

The conservation of clouded leopards faces more issues in its homeland of Southeast Asia. However, several clouded leopards have protected themselves with their incredible skills in the wild. They are basically arboreal, which means they use trees primarily for resting and similarly for hunting, but they also spend a significant proportion of time on the ground. These stunning animals are mostly unsociable animals other than the breeding period of the cubs. They prefer evergreen tropical forests but they also have been sighted in other habitats, such as secondary forest, logged forest, coastal hardwood forests, mangrove swamp, grassland, scrubland, and dry tropical forests as well.

These leopards are excellent climbers and they can descend trees headfirst and climb while they are upside down. They make a fitted grip with their claws and paws which allows them to even hang upside down from the huge branches, and their lengthy tails help them greatly to maintain balance. These animals also have short legs and rotating rear ankle joints which help them climb down similar to a squirrel, which descends with a headfirst. They can climb on horizontal branches with their back to the ground, and in this position make short jumps forward as well.

Clouded leopards are mostly nocturnal and are often seen resting on the branches during the day, and they barely come down to hunt their kill. Clouded leopards have the largest upper canine teeth equal to their body size, compared to other wild cats. Their strong jaws grip a wide gap of almost 100 degrees. Some wildlife experts have found that the teeth and jaws of the clouded leopards are similar to the extinct group of saber-toothed cats, just like we have seen in the Ice Age movie.

Clouded leopards are one of the most beautiful animals on the planet Earth. However, they are widely hunted for their teeth and decorative pelt, bones for the traditional Asian medicinal trade. India is taking many measures to help these animals. In March 2021, the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu has assured that the government will provide full support in the up-keeping and protection of the Namdapha National Park in Changlang district of the state, which inhabits several clouded leopards. Admitting that human invasion of the park is a big concern, CM Khandu assured to take immediate action for removal of invasion in the core area of the park, the CM’s office said. The authorities of this park have also briefed CM Pema Khandu about the significance of the Namdapha National Park, which is home to big cat species like clouded leopards.

Similarly, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and its partner the Wildlife Trust of India have radio-collared two hand-raised clouded leopards cubs in expectations of their return to the wild. And it is the first known instance of clouded leopards being rehabilitated and radio-collared in India.

Some north-Indian states like Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram are also taking many steps to protect the endangered clouded leopards which were listed as vulnerable. Even common people can help save these animals by simply avoiding any products that have been made from endangered animals, and not buying food items that are made from materials that harm these animals or their habitat. In recent years, India has also added clouded leopards to its recovery program for critically endangered species to support more and reinforce the conservation efforts of leopards. And all the endangered animals like the clouded leopards need to be helped soon or they will become extinct.
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Reference:

• www.cloudedleopard.org
• www.tigersafariindia.com
• www.natureconservation.in
• www.wti.org.in