Animal World

Once Thought Extinct: Meet The Fascinating Formosan Clouded Leopard

Until February 2019, it was thought extinct.

January 10, 2023

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Is an animal extinct if it is no longer observed by humans? As was the case with the Formosan clouded leopard, this is typical.

The predatory cat was declared extinct in 2013 after a years-long project to capture one on camera failed, but rangers reportedly spotted it twice 2019 in a remote part of Taiwan.

The clouded leopard is not related to the leopard and has its own genus (Neofelis) that is distinct from the big cats (Panthera). The clouded leopard was split into two species in 2006: Neofelis nebulosa, which lives on the Asian mainland, and Neofelis diardi, which lives only on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

Clouded leopards are the flagship species of the Eastern Himalayan Broadleaf Forests ecoregion, located in the Himalayan Mixed Forests & Grasslands (IM5) bioregion.

The cat that was recently thought to be extinct is actually a subspecies (Neofelis nebulosa brachyura) found only in Taiwan.

The animal was last officially seen in 1983. Professor Liu Chiung-hsi of National Taitung University’s Department of Life Science told Yahoo News that he wasn’t surprised there hadn’t been a sighting because the animal is vigilant and purposefully elusive, avoiding human contact.

“I believe this animal still does exist,” he said.

The Formosan clouded leopard is an incredible climber, reaching great heights in forest trees and staying above ground with rotating ankles for agility and super long teeth to help them grasp prey up in the trees where they can’t free their paws to help. The animal can descend a tree headfirst, which very few cats in the animal kingdom can do.

“They are incredible athletes. They can climb higher than any cat I’ve ever seen. They can balance on one paw or hang upside down. I’ve seen them do some incredible things!” said Bonnie Breitbeil, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Clouded Leopard SSP Coordinator and International Studbook Keeper (AZA).

Rangers from Taiwan’s Alangyi Village claim to have seen the cats hunting goats on a cliff in Taitung County’s Daren Township. As a result of the sightings, members of Alangyi Village convened a tribal meeting to devise a strategy to prohibit outsiders from hunting in the area and to petition the Forestry Bureau to halt disruptive activities such as logging.

Though these cats aren’t particularly fond of humans, we can’t help but adore photos of them. Clouded leopards are simply adorable. Their faces and ears remain youthful even as they age, giving them the appearance of large kittens throughout their lives. It’s probably for the best that they’ve avoided human contact for so long.