Wild Borneo: Bornean Clouded Leopard
Bornean Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi)
Here is the animal in Borneo that first caught my attention. Of all the animals I love, cats have the absolutely biggest place in my heart. The Bornean Clouded Leopard was identified and given this name as late as the year 2007. It is distinct from its mainland "cousin", the Clouded Leopard, by both different fur patterns and different genetic codes. We don't know much about their living (yet?) since their secretive nature deep in the forests make them difficult to study.
Bornean Clouded Leopard // Google
We do know a little though...
Being the largest predator in Borneo, this cat weighs from 11 to 25 kg. It has relatively short legs and broad paws and this makes it one of the best tree climbers of all cats. It can even hang upside down beneath branches. The exceptionally long tail is perfect for balancing. It is also equipped with the proportionally longest canine teeth of any living feline.
Although very good climbers, scientists believe that they do most of the hunting on the ground. They are living on deer, pigs, monkeys and smaller prey like sqirrels and birds.
The preferred habitat for the Bornean Clouded Leopard is tropical and subtropical forests. One place in which it is found is the lower area of the Kinabatangan River in eastern Sabah. There are no exact numbers of their population but resent studies estimate the size of the population to be between 5000 and 11000 in Borneo and 3000 to 7000 on Sumatra. In Sabah it is estimated to live from 1500 to 3200 cats, with only a smaller part of them living in large protected reserves.
Kinabatangan River // Google
Along with the rest of the nature on Borneo, the natural habitat of the Bornean Clouded Leopard is threatened by logging and the creation on rubber and palm oil plantations. Because of this it is concidered a vulnerable species and its status is threatened.
But we can all do something to help these beautiful animals to continue climbing the branches of the Bornean rainforests...
Bornean Clouded Leopard // Google
Here is the animal in Borneo that first caught my attention. Of all the animals I love, cats have the absolutely biggest place in my heart. The Bornean Clouded Leopard was identified and given this name as late as the year 2007. It is distinct from its mainland "cousin", the Clouded Leopard, by both different fur patterns and different genetic codes. We don't know much about their living (yet?) since their secretive nature deep in the forests make them difficult to study.
Bornean Clouded Leopard // Google
We do know a little though...
Being the largest predator in Borneo, this cat weighs from 11 to 25 kg. It has relatively short legs and broad paws and this makes it one of the best tree climbers of all cats. It can even hang upside down beneath branches. The exceptionally long tail is perfect for balancing. It is also equipped with the proportionally longest canine teeth of any living feline.
Although very good climbers, scientists believe that they do most of the hunting on the ground. They are living on deer, pigs, monkeys and smaller prey like sqirrels and birds.
The preferred habitat for the Bornean Clouded Leopard is tropical and subtropical forests. One place in which it is found is the lower area of the Kinabatangan River in eastern Sabah. There are no exact numbers of their population but resent studies estimate the size of the population to be between 5000 and 11000 in Borneo and 3000 to 7000 on Sumatra. In Sabah it is estimated to live from 1500 to 3200 cats, with only a smaller part of them living in large protected reserves.
Kinabatangan River // Google
Along with the rest of the nature on Borneo, the natural habitat of the Bornean Clouded Leopard is threatened by logging and the creation on rubber and palm oil plantations. Because of this it is concidered a vulnerable species and its status is threatened.
But we can all do something to help these beautiful animals to continue climbing the branches of the Bornean rainforests...
- Adopt a Clouded Leopard
- Donate funds to the Clouded Leopard Project
- Join WWF to support the protection of the Heart of Borneo
- Many other ways to help
Bornean Clouded Leopard // Google
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Postat av: mum
så underbart vackra djur, filmen gör mig rörd
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