Clouded Leopard
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| Clouded Leopard | KF3 | Nexon Game |
The Clouded Leopard is a type of felid Friend that appeared in the original Kemono Friends mobile game.
Appearance
Clouded Leopard shows a moderate stature. She wears fringe with a small spot showing her forehead. Both of her side bangs are shoulder length, effectively hiding her human ears. Black marking on the fringe and white tone on her hair ends suggest animal origin. She also wears a ponytail that goes till her knee's. Sharp almond shaped golden eyes with brown colored tinge give her a very ferocious look. On top of her head you find two brown animal ears, resembling that of her real life counterpart. Her black tipped feline tail is big and yellow-whitish, but also has a almost striped brownish color in regular intervals. Her outfit composed of white blouse without sleeves and a red necktie and short uneven rectangle patterned skirt. Clouded Leopard patterned full-length gloves are covering her arms almost till her shoulder while her similarly patterned over-knee socks almost covers her entire legs except a small spot bare-skin under her skirt. Her boots are white with a yellow tint at the top.
Series Appearances
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In Real Life
The Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a tree climbing felid, whose local common Malaysian name means branch-of-a-tree tiger. The clouded leopard is considered to form an evolutionary link between the big cats and the small cats. They are strongly associated with forest habitat, particularly primary evergreen tropical rainforest, but there are also records from dry and deciduous forest, as well as secondary and logged forests. They are highly arboreal, using trees primarily for resting and also for hunting. However, they spend more time hunting on the ground than was originally believed. [4]
Like other felids, the clouded leopard is a strict carnivore. It is also a solitary hunter whose patterned coat serves as camouflage when stalking prey or attempting to remain hidden from other predators. Preying primarily on birds, fish, monkeys, deer, wild boar, and rodents, this species has also been known to kill domestic animals. Expert tree climbing ability allows the clouded leopard to successfully ambush prey in the canopy as well as stalking it on the ground. Typically, an individual kills its prey with a bite to the back of the neck, which effectively severs the spine. In proportion to its body size the clouded leopard has the largest canines of all the cats, a feature that has earned this species the reputation of being the “modern day saber-tooth.” Those canines allow the clouded leopard to pull flesh off of the carcass of their preys. [1]
Little is known about the behavior of clouded leopards in the wild, although conjectures are made based upon observations of animals in captivity. Their partly nocturnal and far-ranging behaviour, their low densities, and because they inhabit densely vegetated habitats and remote areas makes the counting and monitoring of clouded leopards extremely difficult. Some daytime movement has been observed, suggesting they are not strictly nocturnal but crepuscular. However, the time of day when they are active depends on their prey and the level of human disturbance. They are regarded as secretive and rarely seen arboreal hunters, although these characteristics vary. Large feet, short legs, and a long tail make clouded leopards well-adapted for arboreal living. They are extremely adept in trees, and they have been observed engaging in acrobatics such as climbing slowly head first down tree trunks, hanging upside down while moving along horizontal branches, and hanging from branches using only their hind feet. As if that wasn't enough the clouded leopard is also a capable swimmer. Nothing is known about the social systems of wild clouded leopards, they are probably solitary animals. [2] [3]
Clouded leopards are one of the top predators in their range, especially where tigers and leopards are absent. They play a role in controlling populations of prey species, which effectively limits the impact which these populations have on the ecosystem. For example, by preying on cervids and keeping population size low, clouded leopards prevent excessive stress on plant populations [3]
Little is known about the population status of clouded leopards because actual population estimates are difficult to obtain. The chief threat for clouded leopard populations is habitat loss due to deforestation for agricultural purposes. Humans hunt clouded leopards for their pelts and teeth, as well as for use in traditional medicine and culinary trades. Hunting the clouded leopard is banned in some contries such as China, India, Nepal, Malaysia and Indonesia ... [4]
Trivia
- The clouded leopard has the longest upper canine teeth relative to skull size of any living carnivore.
- Clouded leopards are one of the best climbers in the cat family.
- Clouded leopards are good swimmers and may have populated small islands off Vietnam and Borneo in this way.
References
1. "Clouded Leopard". Encyclopedia of Earth.
2. Clouded leopard, Encyclopedia of Life.
3. "Neofelis nebulosa" by Katie Holmes. The Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan, museum of zoology.
4. "Neofelis nebulosa". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.