Clouded Leopard vs European otter

Neofelis nebulosa compared with Lutra lutra

Key Differences

• Clouded Leopard is 2.0x heavier than European otter.
• Clouded Leopard lives longer (15 years vs 10 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clouded Leopard	European otter
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Carnivora (Carnivorans)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Felidae (Cats)	Mustelidae (Weasels & Otters)
Genus	Neofelis (Clouded Leopards)	Lutra (Otters)
Species	Neofelis nebulosa	Lutra lutra

Evolutionary Relationship

Clouded Leopard and European otter share a common ancestor at the Order level: Carnivora. (Carnivorans)

Conservation Status

Clouded Leopard

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~10.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

European otter

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clouded Leopard	European otter
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	15 years	10 years
Average Length	1.0 m	1.0 m
Average Weight	20.0 kg	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clouded Leopard

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

European otter

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Clouded Leopard

A medium-sized wild cat weighing up to 26 kg, clouded leopards inhabit tropical and subtropical forests from the eastern Himalayas through Southeast Asia to Borneo. Named for their distinctive cloud-like coat markings, they possess the longest canine teeth relative to skull size of any wild cat and are exceptional climbers able to descend trees headfirst. Vulnerable due to deforestation, though the total population remains poorly known.

European otter

Sleek semi-aquatic mustelid found along clean rivers, streams, and coastlines across Europe and Asia. European otters can reach 1.3 meters in length and are highly skilled fish hunters, using sensitive whiskers to detect prey movements. Requiring unpolluted water with abundant fish, they are an indicator species for freshwater ecosystem health. Once nearly extinct in Western Europe from hunting and pollution, populations have recovered significantly following water quality improvements.