Dr. Lon Grassman Feline Research Center, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363 Is the sabertooth alive and well in the forests of Southest Asia? Well, not exactly, but the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) does have the longest canines relative to body size of any of the extant wild felids (see right). The reasons for this morphological trait are unknown, but they are thought to aid in increased killing and grasping abilities necessary for arboreal prey. In fact, although known to science for more than 200 years, hardly any concrete data existed on this beautiful, elusive, threatened cat prior to my study in Thailand in 1999. Most information on clouded leopard natural history was mainly anecdotal and painted a Above: The clouded leopard has the perfect teeth of a predator and the longest canines relative to body consistent theme of a highly arboreal size of any living felid. felid that pounced on prey from overhanging branches. Not much had the strange idea of trapping and me some amazing camera trapping else was known. The short legs and radio-tracking wild cats. I served as photos that greatly helped me to focus long tail of the clouded leopard no a guinea pig for the graduate school, on a study site. The photos were from doubt helped to support this arboreal which had never accepted a North one trap-site, covered a two-week opinion. However, camera trapping American student. After passing the period, and showed four different studies from Thailand, Borneo, and mandatory English exam (I never clouded leopards walking along an other areas of Southeast Asia have did learn what my score was), I was animal trail. Additionally, a pig- revealed a more terrestrial cat than on my way. The subsequent three tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina), previously assumed. These questions years studying leopards, leopard cats potential clouded leopard prey, was and more formed the impetus for my (Prionailurus bengalensis), and civets photographed on the same trail. I study. in Kaeng Krachan National Park was hooked. This area clearly held I originally went to Thailand in honed my research and Thai language potential for a long-overdue clouded 1996 to study leopards (Panthera abilities, and further reinforced my leopard study. The name of the area: pardus) and other carnivores as part love for Thailand and its wildlife. Phu Khieo (green mountain) Wildlife of my Master’s degree research. My Perhaps my first important lesson Sanctuary in north-central Thailand. motivation then, as now, was the learned was to never release an angry During the transition to begin lack of research effort on the felid leopard from a trap at close quarters this study, I was invited by Dr. Mike community in Southeast Asia. In (see next page). Tewes to join the Doctoral degree particular, the small wild cats had Upon completion of my Master’s program at Texas A&M University- been largely ignored in the region. research, I remained in Thailand to Kingsville. Mike, the foremost ocelot I applied to several universities in focus on my next research project. (Leopardus pardalis) expert in the Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, While working for the Faculty of U.S., wanted to expand the geographic but only one school – Kasetsart Forestry at Kasetsart University in scope of the Feline Research Center University in Bangkok – was willing 1999, a Thai friend who worked at and saw this research as a good to accept an American student who the Royal Forest Department showed opportunity to this end. Additionally, Wild Cat News - www.cougarnet.org 24 Sean Austin, a doctoral student of Mike’s, had just captured and radio- Don’t try this at home - or anywhere else collared the first clouded leopard in When this sedated leopard (top image) was released back into the wild, the author was too close for comfort. Its attack (middle image) made a lasting impression on the author (bottom image), resulting Khao Yai National Park. The timing in cuts along the forearm. was perfect for a long-term study. I worked in Phu Khieo for four years trapping, radio-collaring, and tracking seven carnivore species, including clouded leopard, leopard cat, Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii), and marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata). During this time, I logged almost 28,000 trap- nights, and captured 456 animals that represented 31 species. Clouded leopards proved exceptionally difficult to capture with box-traps, with just four clouded leopards captured (conversely, 69 leopard cats were captured during the same period). Similarly, Sean Austin captured two clouded leopards in Khao Yai with about 10,000 trap-nights. The study of clouded leopards consisted of two adult males and two adult females, of which one was in late term pregnancy. All cats were in excellent health and had perfect dentition. The results of this study were published in the Journal of Mammalogy in 2005, but a summary of clouded leopard ecological patterns are as follows: I used 330 radio locations to calculate range size for the four clouded leopards. Overall, range sizes varied from 22.9 to 51.0 km2, with a small core area of about 6.0 km2. I believe female clouded leopard CF1 gave birth soon after her capture, as evidenced by a small and intensively used core area that was probably related to den use. Clouded leopard young are reported to den in tree hollows, but nothing else is known about rearing habits in the wild. I used telemetry and close approach to identify the area of the potential den site but failed to locate cubs. A search within a 200 m radius identified a large impenetrable thicket of dead Wild Cat News - www.cougarnet.org Top: Radio-collared clouded leopard from Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. Upper left: The diminutive and common leopard cat. Upper right: The striking and rare marbled cat; a smaller version of the clouded leopard. Lower left: Brown phase Asiatic golden cat; a “mini-cougar.” Lower right: Melanistic phase Asiatic golden cat. branches from several fallen trees and streams and the main paved road. clouded leopards contained the vegetation that may have contained a Clouded leopards were active remains of slow loris (Nycticebus den. during 58% of activity readings. Diel coucang), a nocturnal primate. Each clouded leopard range activity patterns indicated that clouded Evidence of clouded leopards using overlapped a conspecific with the leopards exhibited arrhythmic activity open grassland habitat for foraging greatest range of overlap occurring with peak activity occurring between at night was obtained for a male between males and females; 0801–1200 hours and 1801–2000 clouded leopard CM2. This cat used however, intra-male overlap also was hours. Nocturnal activity peaks were the grasslands at night for hunting considerable. Distances between observed between 2001–2200 hours hog deer (Axis porcinus) and muntjak consecutive-day locations averaged and 0001–0200 hours. (Muntiacus muntjak), which were about 2 km. Clouded leopard ranges Results of scat analysis indicated observed to bed down en masse after encompassed three vegetation types a diverse prey selection. Clouded sunset. Examination of a dead male – closed forest (84% coverage), open leopards consumed diurnal and hog deer found in grasslands near forest grassland (15.5% coverage), nocturnal prey, which was consistent the previous night location of male and abandoned orchard (0.5% with data on their activity patterns. CM2 indicated a clouded leopard coverage) – in addition to major Scat analysis from two trapped attack. Examination revealed two narrow canine punctures through Below: The author holding a clouded leopard. the spine above the shoulder. The canine punctures were deep (ca 3 cm) and separated by 3 cm. In addition, the shoulder and flank of the deer showed several claw scrapes typical of felid attacks. The puncture depth and spacing closely matched the canines of CM2, or perhaps another clouded leopard. The injury was not caused by a leopard because leopards did not occur around this area. This clouded leopard was located on eight occasions resting along the forest edge before venturing into the grasslands at night. Clouded leopards are generally believed to occur in primary evergreen forests, but they also have been reported in secondary, logged forests, coastal hardwood forests, coniferous forests, and in grasslands. Sean Austin recorded a female clouded leopard using a semi- evergreen (closed forest) beyond what was typically available. A combination of terrestrial camera trap, personal observations, and live trapping suggested that clouded leopards traveled on the ground more than previously reported in the literature. Mel and Fiona Sunquist theorize that although clouded leopards are able to hunt on the ground, large terrestrial predators may cause clouded leopards to hunt 27 more arboreal prey. Tiger and leopard densities were low in Phu Khieo, whereas dholes (or Asiatic wild dogs, Cuon alpinus) were more common. Dholes were observed individually and in packs on numerous occasions. Clouded leopards would likely avoid confrontations with this dominant predator and their movements may have been influenced by dhole presence. However, evidence of clouded leopards using trees was documented as well. Female CF2 was approached by honing in on her radio signal until she jumped from a large, low (ca 3.0 m) evergreen tree branch from which she was resting. Directly under this position were the remains of a recently killed pangolin (Manis javanicus). From the beginning of the close approach until the observation, the radio signal pulse indicated this individual was resting in the tree before our disturbance and was not driven up the tree. So, in the end, the question as to the degree of arboreality of clouded leopards still remains a mystery. What is known for certain about clouded leopards is that they are threatened by habitat loss.