Feature:
Scientists
Discover Rare & Endangered Cat in Borneo
“Researchers
working in Borneo have captured footage of one of the most elusive & least
studied wild cats on earth.
Bay
cats, or Bornean cats, are about the size of a large house cat & can only
be found on the island of Borneo. Very little is known about them, & they’ve
continued to elude researchers.
...their
population is estimated to be fewer than 2,500 individuals & they’re now
listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Today, habitat
loss, fragmentation & poaching are believed to be the biggest threats to
their survival...
Now
scientists are marveling over a surprising sighting after one was spotted about
40 miles away from nearest area they are known to exist.
The
researchers weren’t looking for bay cats, but they captured footage of a male
after setting up 52 camera traps in Rungan Landscape in Central Kalimantan, a
region of remote forest in Indonesian Borneo...
‘The
type of tropical forest where we carried out our research is generally
considered to be of relatively poor conservation value,’ said Dr. Frank Van
Veen, of the University of Exeter. ‘However, we have found that this landscape
actually represents a mosaic of forest types that supports a high diversity of
wildlife, including a number of endangered species...’
It’s
also hoped the sighting will lead to more protection for the area where the bay
cat was spotted, which would also benefit other wild animals who call Borneo’s
rainforests home...
‘There
is still a lot we don’t know about the forests of Borneo & the clock is
ticking. More surveys are needed to understand the distribution &
ecological needs of Borneo’s wildlife...'
For
more on how to help, check out the Borneo Nature Foundation.”
Alicia Graef
April
29/2017
care2.com
Cute Critter Pic
Weekly Chuckle
Memorial
Minette Nov. 3/2012
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