Clouding Their Future

Over thousands of years, climate change has severely altered the environment that the clouded leopards live in. Clouded leopards had to adapt from being mostly terrestrial or arboreal to spending more time in the water hunting and swimming.Their ears shrunk, helping to prevent drag as they dive underwater. Their paws also became partially webbed in order to aid them in paddling through the water. Their chest cavity has become larger to accommodate a growth in lung size, enabling them to swim underwater for longer periods of time in order to hunt their food. The species is also seen to weigh more than their past versions, keeping them buoyant and making it easier for them to swim for longer distances.