Tuesday, December 18, 2007

CLOUDED LEOPARD OF MALAYSIA


The Clouded Leopard (Harimau Dahan) is one of the most beautiful of cats, having a coat of distinctive markings. It is the only big cat found in both Peninsular Malaysia and the island of Borneo. An adult of this species weighs between 11kg and 20kg. It has relatively short legs and a thick furry tail which is often as long as the body.

The Clouded Leopard is found in Southeast Asia and as far west as Nepal, but nowhere is it abundant. It is a solitary animal, elusive, an expert climber and a good swimmer. It feeds on a wide range of animals including monkeys, deer and pigs. Despite legal protection in many countries, including Malaysia, its population is on the decline.

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