Clouded Leopard vs jaguar

Neofelis nebulosa compared with Panthera onca

Key Differences

• Clouded Leopard is Vulnerable while jaguar is Near Threatened.
• jaguar is 5.0x heavier than Clouded Leopard.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clouded Leopard	jaguar
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 same	Felidae (Cats)	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Neofelis (Clouded Leopards)	Panthera (Big Cats)
Species	Neofelis nebulosa	Panthera onca

Evolutionary Relationship

Clouded Leopard and jaguar share a common ancestor at the Family level: Felidae. (Cats)

Conservation Status

Clouded Leopard

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~10.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

jaguar

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~64.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clouded Leopard	jaguar
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	15 years	15 years
Average Length	1.0 m	1.9 m
Average Weight	20.0 kg	100.0 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.

jaguar

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 6 distinct biome types spanning the Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

jaguar

The largest cat in the Americas, reaching up to 100 kg with a stocky, muscular build and distinctive rosette-patterned coat. Found from Mexico through South America, with strongholds in the Amazon and Pantanal. Powerful swimmers and apex predators, jaguars play a critical role in regulating prey populations. Near Threatened, with range contracting due to deforestation.