previously unknown big cat (clouded leopard) discovered in Borneo

[MnFats]

http://www.onelocalnews.com/whiterockreviewer/ViewArticle.aspx?id=76326&source=2

never documented before. and who knows what else is out there....but let's destroy all the jungles of the world....they're in the way anyway...

the gist of it:


The clouded leopard of Borneo — discovered to be an entirely new species — is the latest in a growing list of animals and plants unique to the Southeast Asian country‘s rainforest and underscores the need to preserve the area, conservationists said Thursday.

Genetic tests by researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute revealed that the clouded leopard of Borneo and Sumatra islands is a unique cat species and not the same one found in mainland Southeast Asia as long believed, said a statement by WWF, the global conservation organization.

The secretive clouded leopards are the biggest predators on Borneo, growing sometimes to the size of a small panther. They have the longest canine teeth relative to body size of any cat.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. K&R

sad to think what'll happen now.

[northofdenali]

2. and they are incredibly beautiful.

Photo from National Geographic: http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/clouded-leopard.html



Photos from the Nashville Zoo: http://www.nashvillezoo.org/cleopard.htm





These kitties are all, I believe, from Thailand as opposed to Borneo - and we all know that genetic drift occurs in as little as 10 square miles! The above photos are just an example of the Clouded Leopard's beauty, only - and I can't wait to see what comes out of Borneo and Sumatra. It's only been a few years back that the Snow Leopard was documented.

It's not just the rainforest and jungles, it's also the high mountain valleys, the cliffs, the deserts, the tundra, the glaciers -

pretty soon, it'll all be in zoos or habitats, and "nature" will be a history lesson. :cry:

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. So wil we

this kind of ecological collagse affects all high end species, guess what we are?

[northofdenali]

4. Actually, I am beginning to believe

that cockroaches are a higher end species than most humans....... :(

[A Simple Game]

5. Just think of all the new animals, birds, reptiles, and bugs, etc. we

could see if we could just get rid of all of those damn trees they hid in!

Just kidding.

Beautiful cat. Thanks for the story.