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The future of the clouded leopard is in doubt. The Taiwanese subspecies has already become extinct.
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Clouded leopards are often hunted for their teeth as well as their skins. They have the longest canine teeth for their body size of any of the living cat species. Compare the size of their canines with those of the mountain lion. Because these cats are rare and difficult to observe, we don't know the primary use for these extra-long teeth.
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 Marbled Cat |  Young Clouded Leopard |
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The marbled cat and clouded leopard look similar and may be closely related species. Both their coats bear large blotchy spots with dark outlines. They both live in the forests of Southeast Asia and are good climbers. They differ mainly in size; the marbled cat is much smaller -- not much bigger than a house cat. Because of its larger size and impressive teeth, the clouded leopard is hunted more than its smaller relative.
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| Clouded leopards are very difficult to breed in captivity because the captive males often kill the females when they come into heat. Artificial breeding may be the only way to maintain a healthy captive population in this species. |
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