International Clouded Leopard Day

 Why in News?
On the occasion of International Clouded Leopard Day, India reaffirmed its commitment to conserving the Clouded Leopard through the launch of the Clouded Leopard Conservation Action Plan (CAP). The Action Plan was released during the 91st meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) held in Coimbatore in July 2026.

About the Clouded Leopard Conservation Action Plan (CAP)

• The CAP has been prepared under the Government of India–Global Environment Facility (GEF)–United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiative.
• It provides a comprehensive strategy for:
  • Conserving and restoring clouded leopard habitats.
  • Strengthening forest connectivity and wildlife corridors.
  • Standardising scientific monitoring.
  • Promoting community participation in conservation.
• The Action Plan identifies 14 priority conservation landscapes across Northeast India for focused conservation efforts.
• Scientific monitoring will include:
  • Camera trapping
  • Occupancy surveys
  • Genetic studies
  • Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis.
• The Clouded Leopard has also been included under the Species Recovery Programme of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme.

About the Clouded Leopard

• The Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a medium-sized wild cat native to the forests of South and Southeast Asia.
• It is regarded as an evolutionary link between big cats and small cats due to its intermediate characteristics.
• Unlike true big cats, it cannot roar, and unlike most small cats, it cannot purr continuously.
• It is known for its cloud-shaped markings, long tail and exceptional tree-climbing ability.
• Its distribution extends from Nepal, Bangladesh and Northeast India through Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and southern China to Sumatra and Borneo.

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