The Sunda panther was once considered a subspecies of the the clouded leopard, but after careful genetic research it was separated as a separate species.

Appearance

The sunda panther has a finer pattern on its fur and more gray fur than the clouded leopard. Its gray fur has cloud-like patterns that are darker than the background. This particular fur pattern and the region in which it occurs (Sundaland or Sunda Region refers to the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Bali and the Malay Peninsula) give the name Sunda Nebelleopard. Black and pale-footed animals have been reported from Borneo, but these color morphs have not been recorded during increasingly intensive camera trap surveys across the island. The limbs of the Sunda leopard are relatively short and marked with black spots. Its tail is very long (76-88% of head and body length) with black spots and rings pointing toward the tip. Male tails are usually long and slender, but females tend to have quite fluffy tails. Its tusks, as in N. nebulosa, are very long relative to the size of the skull, longer than in all other Felidae species (except N. nebulosa). Its long tail and short legs allow it to move easily through trees. Sunda Nebelleopard is the largest felid inhabiting Borneo.