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Sunda Clouded Leopard (young male)
A young male was spotted one night in the forest trails. This was a magical experience as we found it just sitting on a rock staring down at us and then lay down to groom itself. We spent 30 minutes just silently observing this young fella where he really didn't bother since he is the king of the rainforest and the top of the food chain.
I have decided to post this in conjunction to my Snow Leopard class that I have just obtained. Leopards are definitely my most favourite wild cats.
The Sunda clouded leopard is a medium-sized wild cat native to Borneo and Sumatra. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 2015, as the total effective population probably consists of fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a decreasing population trend. On both Sunda islands, it is threatened by deforestation.
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One of the world’s most mysterious cats, the Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi), is a threatened species that is rarely encountered in the wild. They are named for the patches on their fur, which are described as being cloud-shaped. Despite their common name, they are not leopards, but are in a completely separate genus from the one that includes lions, tigers, and leopards.
Sunda clouded leopards roam the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. They are strongly arboreal and are thus dependent on forested habitat. Their arboreal adaptations include short, powerful legs and rotating rear ankles, which enable them to descend trees in a headfirst position. They also have, proportionally, the longest canine teeth of any living feline! This feature likely helps them hold onto prey while up in the trees. Add to that, keen eyesight and a long tail, and you have a cat made for life in the trees!
These beautiful kitties are sadly threatened by deforestation. Sumatra and Borneo have high deforestation rates, and it’s estimated that 30% of the Sunda clouded leopard’s habitat has been lost in the past 10 years! That’s 30% in only 10 years! Habitat loss in these areas is due to human settlement, agriculture, and the establishment of palm oil plantations.
Palm oil production is a huge business in Malaysia and Indonesia. The situation is exceptionally dire in Sumatra where 80% of primary rainforest has already been lost. Animals, such as the Sunda clouded leopard need undisturbed forested areas that are connected with habitat corridors that allow for gene flow between subpopulations. With such serious statistics, organizations working on the conservation of these exquisite animals need all the support they can get. {Spotted in Borneo by JungleDragon user, Chun Xing Wong} #JungleDragon #Sundacloudedleopard #cloudedleopard #Borneo #Neofelisdiardi
For more of Chun’s photos, highlighting the incredible biodiversity of Borneo: https://www.jungledragon.com/user/3336/popular
Check out Chun's 1StopBorneo Wildlife website. Their goal is to conserve rainforests through education, wildlife rescue, and more: https://www.1stopborneo.org/
https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife Posted 2 years ago
Happy New Year! To say that 2020 was a challenging year would be an understatement. But, it was not without beauty or inspiration. During 2020, the JungleDragon community uploaded more than 17,000 photos and over 3,700 new species to the website!
Thank you to all of our members and supporters for your passion, dedication to nature and photography, and encouragement! You make JungleDragon special, and we appreciate you!
We are excited to continue sharing, inspiring, and learning about nature together with you in 2021! We wish you all the best for the upcoming year!!
Here are ten of the most popular photos shared on JungleDragon during 2020! Enjoy!! {See photos for credits} #JungleDragon #Nature #2020
https://www.facebook.com/jungledragonwildlife Posted 2 years ago