Everything about The Bornean Clouded Leopard totally explained
The
Bornean Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi) is a medium-sized wild
cat found on
Borneo,
Sumatra and the
Batu Islands in the
Malay Archipelago and publicised under that name by the
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on
March 14,
2007. Its coat is marked with irregularly-shaped, dark-edged ovals which are said to be shaped like clouds, hence its common name. Though scientists have known of its existence since the early
19th century, it was positively identified as being a distinct species in its own right in
2006, having long been believed to be a subspecies of the mainland
Clouded Leopard (
Neofelis nebulosa).
WWF quoted Dr. Stephen O'Brien of the U.S. National Cancer Institute as saying, "Genetic research results clearly indicate that the clouded leopard of Borneo should be considered a separate species". .
Anatomy and morphology
The Bornean Clouded Leopard has a stocky build, weighing about 25
kg (55 pounds). It is the largest predator in Borneo. The majority of its prey lives in trees, necessitating its excellent climbing skills. With short, flexible legs, large paws, and keen claws, this big cat is very sure-footed. The
canine teeth are two inches long, longer than those of any other extant feline. Its tail can grow to be as long as its body, aiding balance.
Distribution
The Bornean Clouded Leopard's range is
Borneo and
Sumatra in the
Malay Archipelago. The species was previously found in
Java, but hasn't been recorded there since
Neolithic times.
Ecology and life history
Habitat
N. diardi's preferred habitat is tropical and subtropical forest at altitudes up to about 2,000 metres (6,500 ft). The local names, "Macan Dahan" in
Indonesian and "Harimau Dahan" in
Malay (also reported historically in
Sumatra), mean "tree branch tiger".
The species was long regarded as a subspecies of the Clouded Leopard, named
Neofelis nebulosa diardi. In
December 2006, two articles in the journal
Current Biology detailed a strong case for reclassifying and redefining two distinct species of
Clouded Leopard:
Neofelis nebulosa from mainland
Asia and
Neofelis diardi from the
Malay archipelago, except
Peninsular Malaysia. A
UK study led by Andrew C. Kitchener detailed geographical variations in the Clouded Leopard, indicating a split of two species. The results of a
morphometric analysis of the
pelages of fifty-seven Clouded Leopards sampled throughout the genus' wide geographical range concluded that there were two distinct morphological groups, differing primarily in the size of their cloud markings.
Conservation
Because the Bornean Clouded Leopard's habits make it difficult to study, exact figures of its population don't exist. However, recent studies estimate the population to be between 5,000 and 11,000 great cats left on Borneo, and 3,000 to 7,000 on Sumatra.
Encroachment upon and complete destruction of the Bornean Clouded Leopards' natural habitat, primarily by logging and the creation of
rubber and
palm oil plantations, continues to threaten the whole fauna of
Borneo.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Bornean Clouded Leopard'.
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