The Clouded Leopard

The Clouded Leopard CAP is a comprehensive, multi-state strategic framework formulated to secure habitats, restore ecological corridors, standardize population assessments, and empower local communities for the long-term survival of the species in India.

Aim: To halt population decline, protect critical forest landscapes across Northeast India, establish reliable population baselines through advanced science, and mitigate human-wildlife conflicts outside formal protected areas.

Key Features of the Conservation Action Plan:

Identification of 14 Priority Landscapes: Delineates 14 critical conservation landscapes across the Northeast (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura) and northern fringes of West Bengal and Bihar.

Standardized Scientific Monitoring: Mandates non-invasive technology—including environmental DNA (eDNA), camera traps, genetic sampling, and occupancy surveys—to establish India’s first reliable population baseline.

Habitat & Corridor Connectivity: Focuses on restoring degraded forest corridors outside conventional National Parks and Sanctuaries to reconnect isolated breeding populations.

Community-Centric Conservation: Involves local indigenous communities in anti-poaching monitoring while delivering sustainable livelihood alternatives to reduce forest dependence.