The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched India's Clouded Leopard Conservation Action Plan (CAP) during the 91st meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wild Life held in Coimbatore in July 2026. This comprehensive framework was prepared under the Government of India–GEF–UNDP initiative and focuses on securing habitats, restoring forest connectivity, strengthening scientific monitoring, and empowering local communities for the conservation of the species across Northeast India.
The Action Plan identifies 14 priority conservation landscapes across Northeast India and emphasizes landscape-scale habitat restoration and corridor conservation to strengthen connectivity between forest habitats. The government has institutionally strengthened Clouded Leopard conservation by including the species under the Species Recovery Programme of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme.
Standardized scientific monitoring protocols include the use of camera traps, occupancy surveys, genetics, and environmental DNA (eDNA) to improve understanding of the species and its habitat requirements. The plan also focuses on strengthening anti-poaching measures and wildlife crime prevention, while building capacity of frontline staff through the use of the M-STrIPES smart application.
Community participation is a critical component, with the plan promoting community-based conservation and sustainable livelihood support. It encourages transboundary cooperation with neighboring range countries for coordinated conservation and integrates climate resilience and adaptive management into conservation planning to strengthen the long-term resilience of Clouded Leopard habitats and landscapes.