First Public Film of Clouded Leopard

by Michael
(London, UK)

13th Feb 2010: This brief post contains a fascinating piece of video that is the first to be made public. There are plenty of still photographs of clouded leopards in zoos and the very occasional camera trap still image but it is very rare indeed to film a clouded leopard that was out in the open and unconcerned about the spotlight on it and the presence of the people. Which is a cause for concern perhaps. Why was this cat not behaving in the usual very elusive way?

This cat is in fact a Sunda or Sundaland clouded leopard a different species of clouded leopard that occupies Borneo and Sumatra.

The footage was taken in the Dermakot Forest Reserve in Malaysian Borneo (Malaysian territory on the island of Borneo).

Malayasian Borneo
Map – Wikipedia Commons file – author: Sadalmelik

The encounter with the clouded leopard occurred when a team led by Andreas Wilting of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research were researching how changes to the forest impacted carnivores living in the forest. Camera traps were used.

The clouded leopard was walking along the road and the cat was undisturbed by the noise of the car or lights. The event took place over about 5 minutes.

Other wild cats sighted in the forest and the number of sightings in 2007 are: Flat-headed cat (Felis planiceps) 9, Leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) 31, Marbled cat (Felis marmorata) 2. Source: BBC earth News – reported 10th Feb 2010.

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First Public Film of Clouded Leopard

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Feb 16, 2010
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clouded leopard
by: kathy

Its so funny that this video was on here because just this morning when I was having my coffee I was actually thinking about the Clouded Leopard. I had seen a show on them on Animal Planet a while ago. I was watching my Savannah and Bengal mix playing and I was thinking about how beautiful the Clouded Leopard and how its probaly only a matter of time before they are captured and a domestic breed tried to be made from them. This little leopard almost looks like he is young and is lost or disorientated as to where he is. These truly are one of the most beautiful cats in the world in my opinion. When I first saw one I was in awe of their beauty. I hope they stay wild as long as they can, but by the looks of this video it doesnt seem that way.


Feb 13, 2010
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Clouded Leopard.
by: Rudolph.A.Furtado

Excellent video and as you pointed out Michael, its strange for this totally wild cat to not respond in “FEAR” to humans or any external source of intrusion into its habitat? Even my docile pet cat is wary of strangers and hides, coming out only after getting accustomed to the new house arrivals. A wild clouded leopard cat behaving like a docile pariah dog is really strange.


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