What the sources say
Clouded LeopardNeofelis nebulosa
Every figure, record and mechanism on the Clouded Leopard profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 41 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.
Profile updated
Source
01
Gray et al. 2021
Gray et al. (2021). Neofelis nebulosa. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T14519A198843258.
- The page saysThe IUCN lists it as Vulnerable.
- The source says
IUCN Red List category: Vulnerable (VU).
Source
02
Christiansen 2006
Christiansen (2006). Sabertooth characters in the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa Griffiths 1821). Journal of Morphology.
- The page saysA skull study found features once thought to belong only to sabertooth cats
- The source says
I report on a number of unusual features in the clouded leopard skull hitherto considered characteristic of sabertooth felids exclusively
- The page sayswhich the author mostly ties to a large gape
- The source says
mainly as adaptations for attaining a large gape
Source
03
Can et al. 2019
Can et al. (2019). Factors affecting the occurrence and activity of clouded leopards, common leopards and leopard cats in the Himalayas. Biodiversity and Conservation.
- The page saysfound the cats mostly active at dusk and at night
- The source says
Clouded leopards were least active in the middle of the day, and largely crepuscular and nocturnal
- The page saysCamera traps in Nepal recorded one at 3,498 meters above sea level
- The source says
We documented the presence of clouded leopards for the first time at an altitude as high as 3498 m a.s.l.
- The page saysBefore that study, nobody had hard evidence of one above 2,300 meters.
- The source says
Before this study, there was no hard evidence that clouded leopards occurred above 2300 m a.s.l.
Source
04
Kitchener, Beaumont & Richardson 2006
Kitchener, Beaumont & Richardson (2006). Geographical Variation in the Clouded Leopard, Neofelis nebulosa, Reveals Two Species. Current Biology.
- The page saysA study of the coats of 57 clouded leopards found two groups
- The source says
We describe here the results of a morphometric analysis of the pelages of 57 clouded leopards sampled throughout the species' range. We conclude that there are two distinct morphological groups
- The page saysA study of coat patterns split the mainland cats from the ones on Borneo and Sumatra, which are now called Neofelis diardi. The two groups differ mainly in the size of their cloud markings.
- The source says
there are two distinct morphological groups, which differ primarily in the size of their cloud markings ... we give diagnoses for the distinction of two species, one in mainland Asia (N. nebulosa) and the other in Indonesia (N. diardi)
Source
05
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan
Neofelis nebulosa (clouded leopard). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.
- The page saysForests south of the Himalayas and across mainland Southeast Asia and southern China
- The source says
are found south of the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan, and some areas of northeastern India. Myanmar, southern China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and mainland Malaysia make up the southern parts of its geographic range.
- The page saysAdults usually weigh 18 to 22 kilograms
- The source says
Adults usually weigh between 18 and 22 kilograms
- The page saysmeasure 75 to 105 centimeters from head to rump
- The source says
The head-body length is between 75 and 105 centimeters
- The page sayswith a tail of 79 to 90 centimeters
- The source says
the tail length is between 79 and 90 centimeters
- The page saysthe island cats became the Sunda clouded leopard, Neofelis diardi
- The source says
Until recently, Neofelis diardi was classified as a subspecies of Neofelis nebulosa, but researchers studying molecular evidence now consider it to be a separate species. Neofelis diardi inhabits the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
- The page saysThis cat lives south of the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan and parts of northeastern India, and southward through Myanmar, southern China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and mainland Malaysia.
- The source says
are found south of the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan, and some areas of northeastern India. Myanmar, southern China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and mainland Malaysia make up the southern parts of its geographic range.
- The page saysA typical adult stands 50 to 60 centimeters at the shoulder and weighs 18 to 22 kilograms. The body runs 75 to 105 centimeters, and the tail adds nearly as much again
- The source says
Adults usually weigh between 18 and 22 kilograms and stand at 50 to 60 centimeters at the shoulder. The head-body length is between 75 and 105 centimeters, and the tail length is between 79 and 90 centimeters, which is nearly as long as the body itself.
- The page saysweightKg: 20
- The source says
Adults usually weigh between 18 and 22 kilograms
Note: task #1114: the middle of ADW's usual range, Medium throughout, where the name guess gave Light. The Smithsonian's female range contradicts itself and predates the 2006 split, so ADW stands. Not in a curated matchup
Source
06
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Clouded Leopard. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
- The page saysankles that rotate so it can hang from the branches by its back feet
- The source says
its ankles can rotate backward so the cat can climb down a tree headfirst, climb upside down, and even hang from its back feet
- The page saysRotating ankles let it climb down a tree headfirst and hang from its back feet
- The source says
its ankles can rotate backward so the cat can climb down a tree headfirst, climb upside down, and even hang from its back feet
- The page saysits ankles can rotate backward, so it can also climb upside down and hang from its back feet
- The source says
its ankles can rotate backward so the cat can climb down a tree headfirst, climb upside down, and even hang from its back feet
- The page saysThat leaves its powerful front paws free to snatch at prey.
- The source says
leaving the powerful front paws free to snatch at prey
- The page saysIts tail is the longest for body size of any cat
- The source says
the longest, in relation to body size, of any cat's tail, which gives the clouded leopard great balance when strolling along tree branches
- The page saysit works as a balance pole on branches
- The source says
which gives the clouded leopard great balance when strolling along tree branches
- The page saysUntil 2006 the cats on Borneo and Sumatra counted as the same species.
- The source says
Clouded leopards living on the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra were re-classified as a separate clouded leopard species in 2006
- The page saysIts main threat is habitat loss from a growing number of farms.
- The source says
the clouded leopards’ main threat to survival is continued habitat loss from a growing number of farms
- The page saysYes. Its ankles turn backward, which lets it go down a trunk headfirst, clamber upside down or dangle by its hind feet with both front paws free to grab prey.
- The source says
its ankles can rotate backward so the cat can climb down a tree headfirst, climb upside down, and even hang from its back feet, leaving the powerful front paws free to snatch at prey
- The page saysIts ankles rotate backward, so it climbs down a trunk headfirst and can hang from its back feet with a gape of about 100 degrees waiting below.
- The source says
its ankles can rotate backward so the cat can climb down a tree headfirst, climb upside down, and even hang from its back feet
Note: vibe.reason; same source as the body claim
Source
07
Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Clouded leopard. Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
- The page saysLonger fangs for its skull size than any other wild cat
- The source says
These canines are longer in proportion to skull size than those of any other species of wild cat.
- The page saysGibbons, macaques, slow lorises, small deer and wild boars; may also take birds and rodents
- The source says
Their chief prey are gibbons, macaques, slow loris, small deer and wild boars, which they ambush from the trees or stalk from the ground. They may also hunt birds and rodents.
- The page saysThe clouded leopard can climb down a tree headfirst.
- The source says
Specialized anklebones allow varied position for climbing, including climbing headfirst down trees.
- The page saysIts anklebones are specialised for climbing
- The source says
Specialized anklebones allow varied position for climbing
- The page saysIts canine teeth are longer in proportion to skull size than those of any other wild cat
- The source says
These canines are longer in proportion to skull size than those of any other species of wild cat.
- The page saysit can open its mouth to about 100 degrees
- The source says
extreme gape (ability to open mouth to about 100 degrees)
- The page saysDespite the name, it is not a kind of leopard. It is a separate species of wild cat.
- The source says
Clouded leopards are not a "type" of leopard as their name implies. They are a separate species of wild cat
- The page saysThe average life span is 12 to 15 years, and up to 17 in human care.
- The source says
The average life span of the clouded leopard is 12 to 15 years, though they may live up to 17 years in human care.
- The page saysIt prefers lowland tropical rainforest but also turns up in dry woodlands
- The source says
Clouded leopards prefer to live in lowland tropical rainforests. However, they can also be found in dry woodlands and secondary forests
- The page saysIts chief prey are gibbons, macaques, slow lorises, small deer and wild boars.
- The source says
Their chief prey are gibbons, macaques, slow loris, small deer and wild boars
- The page saysScientists once thought it hunted mainly in trees. Current thought is that most hunting takes place on the ground.
- The source says
Scientists once thought that clouded leopards mainly hunted from or in trees; current thought, however, is that while some hunting may occur in the trees, the majority most likely takes place on the ground.
- The page saysIn human care it is one of the most difficult cats to breed, because of aggression between males and females.
- The source says
There is a high incidence of aggression between males and females, sometimes resulting in the death of the female. This fact has made clouded leopards one of the most difficult cats to breed in zoos and conservation centers.
- The page saysIts ankles rotate backward, so it climbs down a trunk headfirst and can hang from its back feet with a gape of about 100 degrees waiting below.
- The source says
extreme gape (ability to open mouth to about 100 degrees)
Note: vibe.reason, second part - The page saysdangerLevel: Medium
- The source says
These canines are longer in proportion to skull size than those of any other species of wild cat.
Note: task #1114: Medium is real weapons and little interest in using them on people: no cached source records harm to a person - The page saystags: stealth-hunter
- The source says
which they ambush from the trees or stalk from the ground
Note: task #1114: kept on the definition's stalking motions
How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.