Rare clouded leopard wanders into Kuala Lumpur home, rescued by authorities

A household in Kuala Lumpur had a rather unusual night after a rare creature entered their premises.

On Sep. 8, the Kuala Lumpur Civil Defence Force said in a Facebook post that they were alerted to a clouded leopard in someone's home at around 1:04am.

The cat had ended up on the roof of a shed inside the home.

A rescue team was dispatched, and able to contain the leopard within 20 minutes.

The animal was subsequently handed over to Malaysia's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan).

More on clouded leopards

Clouded leopards are a protected species under Malaysia’s Wildlife Conservation Act, and it is illegal for them to be kept as pets.

Aside from Malaysia, clouded leopards can be found in India and south China. They are extinct in Singapore.

It is arboreal (tree-dwelling) and elusive.

The clouded leopard is considered "Vulnerable" according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The species faces threats such as habitat loss, as well as poaching due to its unique coat pattern.

Top photo from Angkatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia - APM Daerah Kuala Lumpur/FB