The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced India's Clouded Leopard Conservation Action Plan (CAP) on International Clouded Leopard Day. The comprehensive plan was developed under the Government of India–GEF–UNDP initiative and officially released during the 91st meeting of the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wild Life (SCNBWL) held in Coimbatore in the second week of July 2026.
The action plan focuses on landscape-level conservation across Northeast India, identifying 14 priority conservation landscapes specifically for clouded leopard protection. Key components include landscape-scale habitat restoration and corridor conservation to strengthen connectivity between forest habitats. The institutional framework has been strengthened through the inclusion of clouded leopards under the Species Recovery Programme of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (IDWH) scheme.
Scientific monitoring protocols have been standardized, incorporating camera traps, occupancy surveys, genetics, and environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques to improve understanding of the species and its habitat requirements. The plan emphasizes anti-poaching measures and wildlife crime prevention, along with capacity building for frontline staff using the M-STrIPES smart application.
Community participation forms a critical component, with the plan promoting community-based conservation and sustainable livelihood support. It also encourages transboundary cooperation with neighboring range countries for coordinated conservation efforts and integrates climate resilience and adaptive management into conservation planning to strengthen long-term resilience of clouded leopard habitats and landscapes.