UmPhafa records first leopard August 2011. As Colchester Zoo's charity, Action for the Wild, continues work to develop the UmPhafa Private Nature Reserve in South Africa, a leopard has finally been spotted on the reserve after many signs had been recorded indicating that they had been present in the area.
In December, staff at UmPhafa recorded conclusive evidence of a leopard whilst a security guard was out on patrol. Our project coordinator, Liam Westall headed out to investigate and confirmed that the tracks were undoubtedly those of a leopard, with a hair caught on the fence line caught by the leopard passing through a gap also confirming the sighting.
Camera trapsSince the signs have been recorded on the reserve the UmPhafa staff set camera traps on UmPhafa and the neighbouring farms hoping to catch a glimpse of the leopard, as tracks and signs became even more frequent. The staff sourced some bait to attract the leopard and left scent trails leading it through a path where the camera was set up. After lots of hard work trying to capture a photo of the elusive leopard on UmPhafa, staff managed to get a wonderful photo of a leopard on one of UmPhafa's farms; Geluk.
Leopards
Leopards can grow to between 1.6 and 2.1 metres long, with males growing considerably larger than females. This elegant and beautifully marked cat has a wide distribution in sub-Saharan Africa and has a wide habitat tolerance. As they are mainly active at night, it has taken the staff on UmPhafa a long time to record a photo. As they have huge home territories depending on food availability, it is likely that they cross out of the UmPhafa Reserve in order to search for prey. With the increase in natural prey numbers, it is hoped that the leopard will be encouraged to spend more time within the reserve.
In previous years the leopard has become increasingly rare, but with more lands set aside for wildlife, signs and sightings are now becoming more and more common. The hills and vales of UmPhafa provide an ideal habitat for this species and the appearance of the leopard is a clear indication of the extent of change the land has undergone. There is potential for UmPhafa staff to study this further, and create a clearer picture of the population density in the area, as well as an indication as to how well targets are being achieved regarding rehabilitating the habitat of UmPhafa.
For more information on the UmPhafa Reserve, please visit the website at www.umphafa.com.
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/Umphafa-leopard.html
Showing posts with label leopard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leopard. Show all posts
Monday, August 15, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Leopard wounds 11 people in village
A leopard that mauled 11 people in a fierce showdown with Indian villagers has died of knife wounds after being captured.
The adult male leopard leapt at locals and forest officials as they tried to drive it into a wildlife sanctuary in West Bengal state.
Forest official Dharma Dev Rai says villagers used knives, stones and batons to beat back the cat.
It injured six villagers, a policeman and four forest guards before being hit with a tranquilliser gun.
The people are recovering from their injuries, mostly swipes from the cat's claws.
Leopards are protected in India though more are straying into villages for food.
http://news.uk.msn.com/world/leopard-wounds-11-people-in-village?ocid=today
Forest official Dharma Dev Rai says villagers used knives, stones and batons to beat back the cat.
It injured six villagers, a policeman and four forest guards before being hit with a tranquilliser gun.
The people are recovering from their injuries, mostly swipes from the cat's claws.
Leopards are protected in India though more are straying into villages for food.
http://news.uk.msn.com/world/leopard-wounds-11-people-in-village?ocid=today
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Bethersden big cat 'ran out in front of me'
A black panther has been 'seen' roaming the roads in Kent.
The beast was spotted by an unnamed driver who claimed he saw it in Brissenden Green, Bethersden.
He was travelling towards the A28 when the animal ran across the road.
It happened at 6.45pm on Saturday, March 19.
He reported the sighting to Neil Arnold of the Kent Big Cat Research group, which collects data about sightings of exotic animals in the county.
The man said: “A large black panther style cat with a long tail, ran across the road, very fast, in front of my car.
"It actually brought me to a standstill, I think more through sheer amazement at what I had just witnessed.”
“I have heard that a similar cat has been spotted before in the Bethersden and Woodchurch area.
"I’m so pleased that I have finally seen one for myself.”
Wednesday, March 23 2011
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2011/march/23/big_cat_ran_out_in_front_of_m.aspx
Woman's big cat encounter
8:10am Monday 28th March 2011
A Johnston dog walker was left shaken after a big cat sighting in the village.
Elizabeth Herbert was walking her jack russell on the cycle path behind Orchard Court when she she spotted the ‘labrador size’ black cat coming towards her.
The sighting was just after 6pm on Friday, March 11.
“My little jack russell rocketed in the opposite direction,” she said.
Ms Herbert said the large cat then dived under a hole in the fence heading towards the railway track.
http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/8930633.Woman_s_big_cat_encounter/
A Johnston dog walker was left shaken after a big cat sighting in the village.
Elizabeth Herbert was walking her jack russell on the cycle path behind Orchard Court when she she spotted the ‘labrador size’ black cat coming towards her.
The sighting was just after 6pm on Friday, March 11.
“My little jack russell rocketed in the opposite direction,” she said.
Ms Herbert said the large cat then dived under a hole in the fence heading towards the railway track.
http://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/8930633.Woman_s_big_cat_encounter/
Friday, March 18, 2011
Have you spotted big cat in Crowland?
Published on Wednesday 16 March 2011 09:41
A VISITOR to a rural garden centre has reported seeing a “black leopard” in a field.
Martin Barron (39) said he saw the animal in a field near Crowland Garden Centre, in Postland Road, at about 4pm on Saturday.
If you have any information on the mysterious feline, contact ET reporter Stephen Briggs on 01733 588734 or email stephen.briggs@peterboroughtoday.co.uk.
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/features/have_you_spotted_big_cat_in_crowland_1_2503410
A VISITOR to a rural garden centre has reported seeing a “black leopard” in a field.
Martin Barron (39) said he saw the animal in a field near Crowland Garden Centre, in Postland Road, at about 4pm on Saturday.
If you have any information on the mysterious feline, contact ET reporter Stephen Briggs on 01733 588734 or email stephen.briggs@peterboroughtoday.co.uk.
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/features/have_you_spotted_big_cat_in_crowland_1_2503410
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Leopard kills German woman on Namibian TV set
Published: 17 Mar 11 08:02 CET
A leopard not previously thought to be dangerous has killed a member of a German television crew making an episode of a popular series in Namibia, production company ndF said.
"The animal was thought to be completely docile. Some members of the team even stroked him before," a spokeswoman for ndF said on Wednesday after the deadly incident outside the former German colony's capital Windhoek last Friday.
The 46-year-old victim, who has not been named, was part of a team preparing an episode of Um Himmels Willen, or "For Heaven's Sake", a light-hearted and long-running series set in and around a Bavarian nunnery.
"He completely unexpectedly went for her throat," Ulf Tubbesing, a Namibian-German television veterinarian who owned the farm where the tragedy took place, told German daily Bild.
"I immediately ordered my farm manager to shoot the animal."
The woman died of her wounds at the scene.
AFP/ka
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110317-33777.html
A leopard not previously thought to be dangerous has killed a member of a German television crew making an episode of a popular series in Namibia, production company ndF said.
"The animal was thought to be completely docile. Some members of the team even stroked him before," a spokeswoman for ndF said on Wednesday after the deadly incident outside the former German colony's capital Windhoek last Friday.
The 46-year-old victim, who has not been named, was part of a team preparing an episode of Um Himmels Willen, or "For Heaven's Sake", a light-hearted and long-running series set in and around a Bavarian nunnery.
"He completely unexpectedly went for her throat," Ulf Tubbesing, a Namibian-German television veterinarian who owned the farm where the tragedy took place, told German daily Bild.
"I immediately ordered my farm manager to shoot the animal."
The woman died of her wounds at the scene.
AFP/ka
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110317-33777.html
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Spotted! The elusive Sunda clouded leopard of Sumatra is caught on film for the first time
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:09 AM on 5th March 2011
A rare and elusive big cat discovered just four years ago has been filmed in Sumatra for the first time.
The camera-shy Sunda clouded leopard has finally been snapped by a camera trap in Indonesia's Berbak National Park on the island of Sumatra.
The 22-second-long video footage shows the rare cat snaking its way through the dense jungle undergrowth.
And it provides evidence that the predator has adapted to living in tree-tops - unlike some leopards it has a long tail that ensures balance on branches.The cat also relies on long claws and highly flexible ankles to scramble among the trees - and even shimmy down tree trunks like a squirrel.
'This footage is further evidence of the rich wildlife found in Berbak National Park, and is yet another reason why it [is] essential that a conservation plan is put in place for the long-term protection of these forests,' Sarah Christie of the Zoological Society of London said.
Clouded leopards are the most elusive of the big cats, which include lions, tigers, jaguars, snow leopards and normal spotted leopards. Living across south-east Asia, into China and India, the leopards have larger cloud-like spots than ordinary leopards.
Until recently, all clouded leopards were thought to belong to a single species. However, genetic studies have shown that there are actually two distinct clouded leopard varieties.
Researchers only realised that the breed living on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra was a new species - distinct from clouded leopards living elsewhere in Asia - in 2007. The two species are thought to have split over one million years ago.
It is understood the Sunda variety has been filmed only once before - in Borneo's Tangkulap Forest Reserve last year.
Since 2008, the Sunda clouded leopard has been listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Researchers believe there are less than 10,000 of the cats alive in the wild.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1363099/Newest-big-cat-species-Sunda-clouded-leopard-Sumatra-filmed-time.html
Last updated at 9:09 AM on 5th March 2011
A rare and elusive big cat discovered just four years ago has been filmed in Sumatra for the first time.
The camera-shy Sunda clouded leopard has finally been snapped by a camera trap in Indonesia's Berbak National Park on the island of Sumatra.
The 22-second-long video footage shows the rare cat snaking its way through the dense jungle undergrowth.
And it provides evidence that the predator has adapted to living in tree-tops - unlike some leopards it has a long tail that ensures balance on branches.The cat also relies on long claws and highly flexible ankles to scramble among the trees - and even shimmy down tree trunks like a squirrel.
'This footage is further evidence of the rich wildlife found in Berbak National Park, and is yet another reason why it [is] essential that a conservation plan is put in place for the long-term protection of these forests,' Sarah Christie of the Zoological Society of London said.
Clouded leopards are the most elusive of the big cats, which include lions, tigers, jaguars, snow leopards and normal spotted leopards. Living across south-east Asia, into China and India, the leopards have larger cloud-like spots than ordinary leopards.
Until recently, all clouded leopards were thought to belong to a single species. However, genetic studies have shown that there are actually two distinct clouded leopard varieties.
Researchers only realised that the breed living on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra was a new species - distinct from clouded leopards living elsewhere in Asia - in 2007. The two species are thought to have split over one million years ago.
It is understood the Sunda variety has been filmed only once before - in Borneo's Tangkulap Forest Reserve last year.
Since 2008, the Sunda clouded leopard has been listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Researchers believe there are less than 10,000 of the cats alive in the wild.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1363099/Newest-big-cat-species-Sunda-clouded-leopard-Sumatra-filmed-time.html
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Catbeast Spotted Again
Published on Tue Feb 15 13:58:07 GMT 2011
Calderdale’s catbeast has been sighted again – for the first time in three years.
Vanessa Pickles, of Brow Foot Gate Lane, Cote Hill, Halifax, was in a car on her way to work when she spotted a huge cat roaming a lane leading into Copley Woods from Wakefield Road.
She said: “I was in the back of the car, stuck in roadworks in Copley. The traffic was backed up quite a way, almost to the Halifax building.
“Up one of the small roads I just saw this thing going down towards the road.”
Miss Pickles, 24, said it was definitely not a domestic cat and was about the size of a large dog.
“It was 10 feet from the road moving towards the traffic, which surprised me because you’d think it would be scared.
“It looked like a lynx with black and brown patterned markings. It was like a bengal cat but much bigger.”
It is not the first big cat sighting in Calderdale. Between 2005 and 2007 a spate of sightings at Cunnery Woods, Hipperholme; Park Road, Elland; Cragg Vale and Copley were reported in the Courier.
Some of these matched Miss Pickles’ description while others referred to a larger black beast like a panther or puma.
Calderdale Council’s countryside manager Ted Ashman said they could be exotic pets that were released into the wild when laws changed, forcing owners to license them.
He said: “They are wild animals and are quite capable of finding prey themselves. We have got a good population of deer in Calderdale and they would be more than capable of bringing a deer down.
“We’ve got good cover here and plenty of rabbits, so there is enough natural food to sustain a big cat, should we have one wandering around.
“They are quite shy and elusive creatures so they wouldn’t show themselves often.”
Big cat enthusiast Paul Westwood said the latest sighting could be a lynx.
“The lynx used to be a natural animal here and there are people who want to bring them back.
“Nationally we get a couple of hundred sightings a year but without any picture evidence you can never be certain.”
Mr Westwood said the length of time since the alst sighting may be because the animal has been in another area or simply has been too good at hiding from potential spotters.
This hasn’t deterred Miss Pickles who says she is still hopeful of seeing the creature again.
“I just keep looking up the road whenever we go back past,” she said.
• Have you seen the cat beast? Do you believe there could be big cats running wild in Calderdale? Email yoursay@halifaxcourier.co.uk
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/local/catbeast_spotted_again_1_3081747
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Bridport: Mystery beast seen prowling again
By James Tourgout
THE beast of Dorset has been spotted again on the roam just outside of Bridport. Pensioner Shirley Smith says she saw a large black cat run across the main road to Beaminster after leaving her nearby home.
Ross Moore says he also saw a large cat run across the road and up a grass verge just outside Powerstock. Both called the Bridport News after reading how gritter lorry driver Mike Ward saw a large black cat at Batcombe and at Netherbury.
Mrs Smith, 74, said: “I saw an animal half way across the road.
“At first I thought it was a fox but it was jet black and there was no way it was an ordinary domestic cat.
“It was about one and a half times the size of a normal cat.”
Mrs Smith, who lives off Beaminster Road, near Gore Cross, was about 100 yards up the road towards Beaminster in her car when she saw the creature.
Her sighting is the latest in a line of glimpses of large cats. The creature has been dubbed the Beast of Dorset although sightings have come from Bridport, Abbotsbury, Weymouth, Batcombe and Hardy’s Monument.
Mr Moore was in his car with fianceé Claire Perry when a large cat ran out in front of them late last year just outside Powerstock and up a grass verge.
He said: “It ran out in front of the car.
“We had to brake suddenly “We only saw three quarters of the body as some of it was under the front of the car but it was much larger than a normal cat.
“It was about three times the size of a domestic cat.”
He added: “I thought that is a big cat.”
The couple got out of the car but couldn’t find any paw prints or trace of the creature. They have also been back since but have not seen any evidence of it.
http://www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/8841968.Bridport__Mystery_beast_seen_prowling_again/
(Via Dark Dorset)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Plaquemines searching for large black cat
Jay Vise
31 January 2011
Officials in Plaquemines Parish are warning residents to be on the lookout for a large black undomesticated cat seen near the East Bank community of Phoenix. Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser says the Sheriff's Office and officers from Wildlife & Fisheries are currently working to capture the cat.
Parish spokesman Kurt Fromherz says officials think the animal is a non-native species, but says it's hard to confirm the species of cat while the feline is still on the loose.
Nungesser says the cat may be aggressive and people are recommended to avoid it, keep pets indoors, and call 911 if you see it.
We asked WWL Outdoor Show host Don Dubuc if the big feline could be a black panther or mountain lion. Dubuc says that's unlikely.
"There has never been a confirmed sighting of a panther or mountain lion in southeast Louisiana," Don told us.
"What we're talking about here is the cougar, puma, mountain lion, panther, it's got a lot of names, but it's the same animal," Dubuc said. "Its range is mostly out in the western part of the United States. We finally got some documented proof of some up in northern Louisiana, but there's no reason to believe that they can't exist in the Atchafalaya. However, this is a possibility that a large, wild cat could be roaming in Plaquemines Parish... if it were, it would most probably be a leopard. Leopards come in black phases, instead of spots, that is what is truly a 'black panther,' is in the leopard family. We do not have those indigenous to southeast Louisiana."
However, Dubuc says it's not out of the realm of possibility that such a large cat escaped from captivity aboard one of the many ships passing up and down the river, or was released from a local resident's cage.
http://www.wwl.com/Plaquemines-searching-for-large-black-cat/9097373
(Submitted by Chad Arment)
31 January 2011
Officials in Plaquemines Parish are warning residents to be on the lookout for a large black undomesticated cat seen near the East Bank community of Phoenix. Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser says the Sheriff's Office and officers from Wildlife & Fisheries are currently working to capture the cat.
Parish spokesman Kurt Fromherz says officials think the animal is a non-native species, but says it's hard to confirm the species of cat while the feline is still on the loose.
Nungesser says the cat may be aggressive and people are recommended to avoid it, keep pets indoors, and call 911 if you see it.
We asked WWL Outdoor Show host Don Dubuc if the big feline could be a black panther or mountain lion. Dubuc says that's unlikely.
"There has never been a confirmed sighting of a panther or mountain lion in southeast Louisiana," Don told us.
"What we're talking about here is the cougar, puma, mountain lion, panther, it's got a lot of names, but it's the same animal," Dubuc said. "Its range is mostly out in the western part of the United States. We finally got some documented proof of some up in northern Louisiana, but there's no reason to believe that they can't exist in the Atchafalaya. However, this is a possibility that a large, wild cat could be roaming in Plaquemines Parish... if it were, it would most probably be a leopard. Leopards come in black phases, instead of spots, that is what is truly a 'black panther,' is in the leopard family. We do not have those indigenous to southeast Louisiana."
However, Dubuc says it's not out of the realm of possibility that such a large cat escaped from captivity aboard one of the many ships passing up and down the river, or was released from a local resident's cage.
http://www.wwl.com/Plaquemines-searching-for-large-black-cat/9097373
(Submitted by Chad Arment)
Plaquemines searching for large black cat
Jay Vise
31 January 2011
Officials in Plaquemines Parish are warning residents to be on the lookout for a large black undomesticated cat seen near the East Bank community of Phoenix. Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser says the Sheriff's Office and officers from Wildlife & Fisheries are currently working to capture the cat.
Parish spokesman Kurt Fromherz says officials think the animal is a non-native species, but says it's hard to confirm the species of cat while the feline is still on the loose.
Nungesser says the cat may be aggressive and people are recommended to avoid it, keep pets indoors, and call 911 if you see it.
We asked WWL Outdoor Show host Don Dubuc if the big feline could be a black panther or mountain lion. Dubuc says that's unlikely.
"There has never been a confirmed sighting of a panther or mountain lion in southeast Louisiana," Don told us.
"What we're talking about here is the cougar, puma, mountain lion, panther, it's got a lot of names, but it's the same animal," Dubuc said. "Its range is mostly out in the western part of the United States. We finally got some documented proof of some up in northern Louisiana, but there's no reason to believe that they can't exist in the Atchafalaya. However, this is a possibility that a large, wild cat could be roaming in Plaquemines Parish... if it were, it would most probably be a leopard. Leopards come in black phases, instead of spots, that is what is truly a 'black panther,' is in the leopard family. We do not have those indigenous to southeast Louisiana."
However, Dubuc says it's not out of the realm of possibility that such a large cat escaped from captivity aboard one of the many ships passing up and down the river, or was released from a local resident's cage.
http://www.wwl.com/Plaquemines-searching-for-large-black-cat/9097373
(Submitted by Chad Arment)
31 January 2011
Officials in Plaquemines Parish are warning residents to be on the lookout for a large black undomesticated cat seen near the East Bank community of Phoenix. Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser says the Sheriff's Office and officers from Wildlife & Fisheries are currently working to capture the cat.
Parish spokesman Kurt Fromherz says officials think the animal is a non-native species, but says it's hard to confirm the species of cat while the feline is still on the loose.
Nungesser says the cat may be aggressive and people are recommended to avoid it, keep pets indoors, and call 911 if you see it.
We asked WWL Outdoor Show host Don Dubuc if the big feline could be a black panther or mountain lion. Dubuc says that's unlikely.
"There has never been a confirmed sighting of a panther or mountain lion in southeast Louisiana," Don told us.
"What we're talking about here is the cougar, puma, mountain lion, panther, it's got a lot of names, but it's the same animal," Dubuc said. "Its range is mostly out in the western part of the United States. We finally got some documented proof of some up in northern Louisiana, but there's no reason to believe that they can't exist in the Atchafalaya. However, this is a possibility that a large, wild cat could be roaming in Plaquemines Parish... if it were, it would most probably be a leopard. Leopards come in black phases, instead of spots, that is what is truly a 'black panther,' is in the leopard family. We do not have those indigenous to southeast Louisiana."
However, Dubuc says it's not out of the realm of possibility that such a large cat escaped from captivity aboard one of the many ships passing up and down the river, or was released from a local resident's cage.
http://www.wwl.com/Plaquemines-searching-for-large-black-cat/9097373
(Submitted by Chad Arment)
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Delving Into the Past of a Big Cat: Clouded Leopard Redefined
 |
| A photograph of a clouded leopard from Borneo (Neofelis diardi borneensis) taken in 2009 by an automated camera-trap set up by the Conservation of Carnivores in Sabah (ConCaSa) project in Tangkulap Forest Reserve, Sabah Malaysia. (Credit: Photo copyright of Wilting & Mohamed, Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department.) |
As shown in 2006, the genus Neofelis comprises two species living with distinct distributions. Clouded leopards from Borneo and Sumatra are genetically and morphologically highly distinct from their relatives on the mainland (Neofelis nebulosa) and thus form a separate species, the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi).
Following up on these findings, a team of researchers led by Andreas Wilting and Joerns Fickel of the IZW collected fur and bone samples of the clouded leopard from natural history museums worldwide, with the aim of elucidating to what extent the spatially distinct populations of the Sunda clouded leopard have followed different evolutionary paths. "Although we suspected that Sunda clouded leopards on Borneo and Sumatra have likely been geographically separated since the last Ice Age, it was not known whether this long isolation had caused them to split up into separate sub-species," explains Wilting.
In the course of their study, the researchers were able to demonstrate considerable genetic differences between the two populations. Dissimilarities between populations were also found with regard to skull morphology, as shown by Per Christiansen of the University of Aalborg, Denmark, a co-author of the study.
In contrast, a comparison of coat colour patterns conducted by Andrew Kitchener from National Museums Scotland yielded only small deviations between the populations -- the authors surmise that this finding could be attributed to the highly similar tropical habitats on Borneo and Sumatra. Based on these distinct patterns of genetic and morphological variation, the researchers have now formally described two subspecies of the Sunda clouded leopard: one occurring exclusively in Sumatra, the other being endemic to Borneo.
"So far we can only speculate about the specific course of events in the evolution of the clouded leopard," says Joerns Fickel. The scientists postulate that natural disasters and global climate periods are responsible for the split into two species and subspecies. The eruption of the "super-volcano" Toba on Sumatra ~75.000 years ago is likely to have played a particularly important role in this process. As Fickel explains, this event unquestionably had extreme consequences for the Southeast Asian fauna and flora. On that account, the researchers conclude that in all likelihood, only two populations of clouded leopards survived the eruption, one in southern China (Neofelis nebulosa) and one on Borneo (Neofelis diardi). In a plausible scenario, the latter recolonised Sumatra via glacial land bridges and subsequently developed into a different subspecies as sea levels rose after the last Ice Age and isolated the two islands.
Both subspecies are classified as endangered by the IUCN, owing to the fact that they, as all other big cats, occur at low population densities and require big home ranges for their survival. In order to save the Sunda clouded leopard, it is therefore of paramount importance to protect large forest areas in Borneo and Sumatra, or at least to manage them sustainably, Wilting emphasises. For this reason, the project is being carried out in close collaboration with Sabah Wildlife Department in the Malaysian state of Sabah in Borneo. Dr. Laurentius Ambu, director of the Sabah Wildlife Department, adds that the IZW together with his department has contributed actively to efforts for the conservation of the Sunda clouded leopard in Borneo for several years, and last year, this team published the first video footage of a Sunda clouded leopard from the wild.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110122215859.htm
Delving Into the Past of a Big Cat: Clouded Leopard Redefined
|
| A photograph of a clouded leopard from Borneo (Neofelis diardi borneensis) taken in 2009 by an automated camera-trap set up by the Conservation of Carnivores in Sabah (ConCaSa) project in Tangkulap Forest Reserve, Sabah Malaysia. (Credit: Photo copyright of Wilting & Mohamed, Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Forestry Department.) |
As shown in 2006, the genus Neofelis comprises two species living with distinct distributions. Clouded leopards from Borneo and Sumatra are genetically and morphologically highly distinct from their relatives on the mainland (Neofelis nebulosa) and thus form a separate species, the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi).
Following up on these findings, a team of researchers led by Andreas Wilting and Joerns Fickel of the IZW collected fur and bone samples of the clouded leopard from natural history museums worldwide, with the aim of elucidating to what extent the spatially distinct populations of the Sunda clouded leopard have followed different evolutionary paths. "Although we suspected that Sunda clouded leopards on Borneo and Sumatra have likely been geographically separated since the last Ice Age, it was not known whether this long isolation had caused them to split up into separate sub-species," explains Wilting.
In the course of their study, the researchers were able to demonstrate considerable genetic differences between the two populations. Dissimilarities between populations were also found with regard to skull morphology, as shown by Per Christiansen of the University of Aalborg, Denmark, a co-author of the study.
In contrast, a comparison of coat colour patterns conducted by Andrew Kitchener from National Museums Scotland yielded only small deviations between the populations -- the authors surmise that this finding could be attributed to the highly similar tropical habitats on Borneo and Sumatra. Based on these distinct patterns of genetic and morphological variation, the researchers have now formally described two subspecies of the Sunda clouded leopard: one occurring exclusively in Sumatra, the other being endemic to Borneo.
"So far we can only speculate about the specific course of events in the evolution of the clouded leopard," says Joerns Fickel. The scientists postulate that natural disasters and global climate periods are responsible for the split into two species and subspecies. The eruption of the "super-volcano" Toba on Sumatra ~75.000 years ago is likely to have played a particularly important role in this process. As Fickel explains, this event unquestionably had extreme consequences for the Southeast Asian fauna and flora. On that account, the researchers conclude that in all likelihood, only two populations of clouded leopards survived the eruption, one in southern China (Neofelis nebulosa) and one on Borneo (Neofelis diardi). In a plausible scenario, the latter recolonised Sumatra via glacial land bridges and subsequently developed into a different subspecies as sea levels rose after the last Ice Age and isolated the two islands.
Both subspecies are classified as endangered by the IUCN, owing to the fact that they, as all other big cats, occur at low population densities and require big home ranges for their survival. In order to save the Sunda clouded leopard, it is therefore of paramount importance to protect large forest areas in Borneo and Sumatra, or at least to manage them sustainably, Wilting emphasises. For this reason, the project is being carried out in close collaboration with Sabah Wildlife Department in the Malaysian state of Sabah in Borneo. Dr. Laurentius Ambu, director of the Sabah Wildlife Department, adds that the IZW together with his department has contributed actively to efforts for the conservation of the Sunda clouded leopard in Borneo for several years, and last year, this team published the first video footage of a Sunda clouded leopard from the wild.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110122215859.htm
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
‘Big cat killed in gruesome manner’
 |
| Forest officials carry the body of a leopard for postmortem in Bhubaneswar. (PTI) |
Bhubaneswar; Jan. 14: The preliminary inquiry report of city divisional forest officer (DFO), Jayant Das, was submitted to the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), P.N.Padhi today who had ordered an inquiry of the incident.
The report claimed that the leopard killed at Gandarpur on the outskirts of the city on Thursday was done in the most gruesome manner with the villagers blocking all his escape routes.
Sources said that the report described in detail how the beast was surrounded by lathis and iron rod-wielding villagers who attacked him from all sides.
Two persons had also been injured after being attacked by the leopard.
The injured had been admitted to the Capital Hospital. The condition of the victims is said to be improving.
Das said that the forest ranger of the area had registered an ‘undetected’ case in connection with the incident.
“If we come across definite proof about the involvement of individuals we would take action against them,” the DFO added.
The official who assured that he would try to conclude his inquiry as soon as possible so that guilty could be punished, said that the ‘undetected’ case was filed since it was not clear as to who had killed the animal.
“After recording the statements of the locals and observing the video clippings, we will try to fix the guilt,” he added.The forest department officials today scoured the Khairapada area near the Gandarpur village following strong rumours that another leopard had been spotted by the people there.
“But neither our officials nor the policemen accompanying them could locate any leopard,” he said. Forest officials had conducted a similar search in and around the Nuapatna village but failed to find even the pugmarks of any leopard.
Officials said since leopard was Schedule I animal those responsible for its inhuman killing would be punished under section 51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
While section 9 of the Act describes killing or hunting a protected animal as a punishable crime, section 51 of the law says that the guilty could draw jail term up to a maximum of seven years and a fine of Rs 25,000. Efforts are also being made to ascertain as to where do the animal come.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110115/jsp/orissa/story_13443034.jsp
‘Big cat killed in gruesome manner’
|
| Forest officials carry the body of a leopard for postmortem in Bhubaneswar. (PTI) |
Bhubaneswar; Jan. 14: The preliminary inquiry report of city divisional forest officer (DFO), Jayant Das, was submitted to the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), P.N.Padhi today who had ordered an inquiry of the incident.
The report claimed that the leopard killed at Gandarpur on the outskirts of the city on Thursday was done in the most gruesome manner with the villagers blocking all his escape routes.
Sources said that the report described in detail how the beast was surrounded by lathis and iron rod-wielding villagers who attacked him from all sides.
Two persons had also been injured after being attacked by the leopard.
The injured had been admitted to the Capital Hospital. The condition of the victims is said to be improving.
Das said that the forest ranger of the area had registered an ‘undetected’ case in connection with the incident.
“If we come across definite proof about the involvement of individuals we would take action against them,” the DFO added.
The official who assured that he would try to conclude his inquiry as soon as possible so that guilty could be punished, said that the ‘undetected’ case was filed since it was not clear as to who had killed the animal.
“After recording the statements of the locals and observing the video clippings, we will try to fix the guilt,” he added.The forest department officials today scoured the Khairapada area near the Gandarpur village following strong rumours that another leopard had been spotted by the people there.
“But neither our officials nor the policemen accompanying them could locate any leopard,” he said. Forest officials had conducted a similar search in and around the Nuapatna village but failed to find even the pugmarks of any leopard.
Officials said since leopard was Schedule I animal those responsible for its inhuman killing would be punished under section 51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
While section 9 of the Act describes killing or hunting a protected animal as a punishable crime, section 51 of the law says that the guilty could draw jail term up to a maximum of seven years and a fine of Rs 25,000. Efforts are also being made to ascertain as to where do the animal come.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110115/jsp/orissa/story_13443034.jsp
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Do giant paw prints mean big cat is on the prowl in Capital?
Published Date:
11 January 2011
By ADAM MORRIS
THEY are shadowy creatures who create claws for concern for farmers across the UK.
But now Edinburgh might have its own big cat on the prowl.
Residents of Newhaven have been left feline distinctly uncomfortable after the discovery of huge paw prints in the snow.
They believe an animal - like a puma or lynx - may be behind the tracks and experts say it is possible the mystery cats may be venturing into the Capital to search for food.
Nora Robertson, 81, who has lived in the area since childhood, discovered the prints on an early morning walk near her home in Andrew Wood Court.
"It was still dark so I had my torch with me, and the light reflected off one of these large prints," she said.
"I followed the track all the way to my neighbour's garden, which showed it had jumped up over a wall.
"I've never seen anything like this. We get a lot of foxes around here and there is a lot of woodland and unused paths."
Sightings of big cats themselves and their prints are fairly common in Scotland, particularly in Perthshire and Fife, where recent pursuits of the Perthshire Puma and the Beast of Balbirnie have taken place.
Big cat experts, who keep a register of sightings, said frequent reports of the creatures were made in the wider Lothian area.
But sceptics have often pointed out that if they did exist, much like the myth of the Loch Ness Monster or UFOs, conclusive photographic evidence would surely by now exist.
George Redpath, a member of Cupar-based Big Cats Scotland, said: "It's unlikely but not impossible.
"We have been getting more sightings in Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow.
"Perhaps - as foxes have - they have come into cities more to scavenge for food, particularly after the freezing weather we've had over the last months.
"It can be difficult to tell from prints in the snow, it can sometimes distort the real size of a print. It is hard to confirm any suspicion like this until there is a conclusive photograph, but the sightings continue. Over the weekend we had one reported from the Bilston area.
"We just don't know what type of cat they could be. In Scotland we've had puma, lynx and possibly leopards."
Other residents of the street also noticed the larger-than-normal paw prints.
Maureen Porteous, 71, said she spotted a large cat in her garden during the summer, but did not think much of it until seeing the tracks.
"I just don't know, it all seems strange, and these prints are certainly much bigger than a normal cat," she said.
"Last summer I looked out to the garden and caught sight of a really big cat, but forgot about it until now.
"My own cat has also been behaving strangely over the weekend, it's never been away from the window but won't go out, which is unusual.
"It's as if something's really spooked it."
WILD AT HEART
The possibility of a Newhaven big cat is not a first for the Lothians.
In October 2005 a mystery "black beast" described as "panther-like" was hunted by police in Haddington. The incident came shortly after a similar animal had been seen in the Dunbar area, and after several big cat sightings near Roslin.
In 2004 a man claimed to have seen a large black cat in the grounds of Merchiston Castle School.
The Big Cats in Britain research group has estimated around 40 big cats are on the loose in Scotland.
Their existence is often put down to the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act, which ruled that such animals could not be kept without a licence. After it was passed, many owners are thought to have let their pets run wild.
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Do-giant-paw-prints-mean.6686399.jp
11 January 2011
By ADAM MORRIS
THEY are shadowy creatures who create claws for concern for farmers across the UK.
But now Edinburgh might have its own big cat on the prowl.
Residents of Newhaven have been left feline distinctly uncomfortable after the discovery of huge paw prints in the snow.
They believe an animal - like a puma or lynx - may be behind the tracks and experts say it is possible the mystery cats may be venturing into the Capital to search for food.
Nora Robertson, 81, who has lived in the area since childhood, discovered the prints on an early morning walk near her home in Andrew Wood Court.
"It was still dark so I had my torch with me, and the light reflected off one of these large prints," she said.
"I followed the track all the way to my neighbour's garden, which showed it had jumped up over a wall.
"I've never seen anything like this. We get a lot of foxes around here and there is a lot of woodland and unused paths."
Sightings of big cats themselves and their prints are fairly common in Scotland, particularly in Perthshire and Fife, where recent pursuits of the Perthshire Puma and the Beast of Balbirnie have taken place.
Big cat experts, who keep a register of sightings, said frequent reports of the creatures were made in the wider Lothian area.
But sceptics have often pointed out that if they did exist, much like the myth of the Loch Ness Monster or UFOs, conclusive photographic evidence would surely by now exist.
George Redpath, a member of Cupar-based Big Cats Scotland, said: "It's unlikely but not impossible.
"We have been getting more sightings in Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow.
"Perhaps - as foxes have - they have come into cities more to scavenge for food, particularly after the freezing weather we've had over the last months.
"It can be difficult to tell from prints in the snow, it can sometimes distort the real size of a print. It is hard to confirm any suspicion like this until there is a conclusive photograph, but the sightings continue. Over the weekend we had one reported from the Bilston area.
"We just don't know what type of cat they could be. In Scotland we've had puma, lynx and possibly leopards."
Other residents of the street also noticed the larger-than-normal paw prints.
Maureen Porteous, 71, said she spotted a large cat in her garden during the summer, but did not think much of it until seeing the tracks.
"I just don't know, it all seems strange, and these prints are certainly much bigger than a normal cat," she said.
"Last summer I looked out to the garden and caught sight of a really big cat, but forgot about it until now.
"My own cat has also been behaving strangely over the weekend, it's never been away from the window but won't go out, which is unusual.
"It's as if something's really spooked it."
WILD AT HEART
The possibility of a Newhaven big cat is not a first for the Lothians.
In October 2005 a mystery "black beast" described as "panther-like" was hunted by police in Haddington. The incident came shortly after a similar animal had been seen in the Dunbar area, and after several big cat sightings near Roslin.
In 2004 a man claimed to have seen a large black cat in the grounds of Merchiston Castle School.
The Big Cats in Britain research group has estimated around 40 big cats are on the loose in Scotland.
Their existence is often put down to the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act, which ruled that such animals could not be kept without a licence. After it was passed, many owners are thought to have let their pets run wild.
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Do-giant-paw-prints-mean.6686399.jp
Do giant paw prints mean big cat is on the prowl in Capital?
Published Date:
11 January 2011
By ADAM MORRIS
THEY are shadowy creatures who create claws for concern for farmers across the UK.
But now Edinburgh might have its own big cat on the prowl.
Residents of Newhaven have been left feline distinctly uncomfortable after the discovery of huge paw prints in the snow.
They believe an animal - like a puma or lynx - may be behind the tracks and experts say it is possible the mystery cats may be venturing into the Capital to search for food.
Nora Robertson, 81, who has lived in the area since childhood, discovered the prints on an early morning walk near her home in Andrew Wood Court.
"It was still dark so I had my torch with me, and the light reflected off one of these large prints," she said.
"I followed the track all the way to my neighbour's garden, which showed it had jumped up over a wall.
"I've never seen anything like this. We get a lot of foxes around here and there is a lot of woodland and unused paths."
Sightings of big cats themselves and their prints are fairly common in Scotland, particularly in Perthshire and Fife, where recent pursuits of the Perthshire Puma and the Beast of Balbirnie have taken place.
Big cat experts, who keep a register of sightings, said frequent reports of the creatures were made in the wider Lothian area.
But sceptics have often pointed out that if they did exist, much like the myth of the Loch Ness Monster or UFOs, conclusive photographic evidence would surely by now exist.
George Redpath, a member of Cupar-based Big Cats Scotland, said: "It's unlikely but not impossible.
"We have been getting more sightings in Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow.
"Perhaps - as foxes have - they have come into cities more to scavenge for food, particularly after the freezing weather we've had over the last months.
"It can be difficult to tell from prints in the snow, it can sometimes distort the real size of a print. It is hard to confirm any suspicion like this until there is a conclusive photograph, but the sightings continue. Over the weekend we had one reported from the Bilston area.
"We just don't know what type of cat they could be. In Scotland we've had puma, lynx and possibly leopards."
Other residents of the street also noticed the larger-than-normal paw prints.
Maureen Porteous, 71, said she spotted a large cat in her garden during the summer, but did not think much of it until seeing the tracks.
"I just don't know, it all seems strange, and these prints are certainly much bigger than a normal cat," she said.
"Last summer I looked out to the garden and caught sight of a really big cat, but forgot about it until now.
"My own cat has also been behaving strangely over the weekend, it's never been away from the window but won't go out, which is unusual.
"It's as if something's really spooked it."
WILD AT HEART
The possibility of a Newhaven big cat is not a first for the Lothians.
In October 2005 a mystery "black beast" described as "panther-like" was hunted by police in Haddington. The incident came shortly after a similar animal had been seen in the Dunbar area, and after several big cat sightings near Roslin.
In 2004 a man claimed to have seen a large black cat in the grounds of Merchiston Castle School.
The Big Cats in Britain research group has estimated around 40 big cats are on the loose in Scotland.
Their existence is often put down to the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act, which ruled that such animals could not be kept without a licence. After it was passed, many owners are thought to have let their pets run wild.
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Do-giant-paw-prints-mean.6686399.jp
11 January 2011
By ADAM MORRIS
THEY are shadowy creatures who create claws for concern for farmers across the UK.
But now Edinburgh might have its own big cat on the prowl.
Residents of Newhaven have been left feline distinctly uncomfortable after the discovery of huge paw prints in the snow.
They believe an animal - like a puma or lynx - may be behind the tracks and experts say it is possible the mystery cats may be venturing into the Capital to search for food.
Nora Robertson, 81, who has lived in the area since childhood, discovered the prints on an early morning walk near her home in Andrew Wood Court.
"It was still dark so I had my torch with me, and the light reflected off one of these large prints," she said.
"I followed the track all the way to my neighbour's garden, which showed it had jumped up over a wall.
"I've never seen anything like this. We get a lot of foxes around here and there is a lot of woodland and unused paths."
Sightings of big cats themselves and their prints are fairly common in Scotland, particularly in Perthshire and Fife, where recent pursuits of the Perthshire Puma and the Beast of Balbirnie have taken place.
Big cat experts, who keep a register of sightings, said frequent reports of the creatures were made in the wider Lothian area.
But sceptics have often pointed out that if they did exist, much like the myth of the Loch Ness Monster or UFOs, conclusive photographic evidence would surely by now exist.
George Redpath, a member of Cupar-based Big Cats Scotland, said: "It's unlikely but not impossible.
"We have been getting more sightings in Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow.
"Perhaps - as foxes have - they have come into cities more to scavenge for food, particularly after the freezing weather we've had over the last months.
"It can be difficult to tell from prints in the snow, it can sometimes distort the real size of a print. It is hard to confirm any suspicion like this until there is a conclusive photograph, but the sightings continue. Over the weekend we had one reported from the Bilston area.
"We just don't know what type of cat they could be. In Scotland we've had puma, lynx and possibly leopards."
Other residents of the street also noticed the larger-than-normal paw prints.
Maureen Porteous, 71, said she spotted a large cat in her garden during the summer, but did not think much of it until seeing the tracks.
"I just don't know, it all seems strange, and these prints are certainly much bigger than a normal cat," she said.
"Last summer I looked out to the garden and caught sight of a really big cat, but forgot about it until now.
"My own cat has also been behaving strangely over the weekend, it's never been away from the window but won't go out, which is unusual.
"It's as if something's really spooked it."
WILD AT HEART
The possibility of a Newhaven big cat is not a first for the Lothians.
In October 2005 a mystery "black beast" described as "panther-like" was hunted by police in Haddington. The incident came shortly after a similar animal had been seen in the Dunbar area, and after several big cat sightings near Roslin.
In 2004 a man claimed to have seen a large black cat in the grounds of Merchiston Castle School.
The Big Cats in Britain research group has estimated around 40 big cats are on the loose in Scotland.
Their existence is often put down to the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act, which ruled that such animals could not be kept without a licence. After it was passed, many owners are thought to have let their pets run wild.
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Do-giant-paw-prints-mean.6686399.jp
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
UFO seen at weird weekend
RIGHT: DAVID Curtis with the picture he drew of the UFO and put on his laptop.dave.tanner@archant.co.uk
18 August 2010
UNIDENTIFIED Flying Objects, evidence of a big cat in the woods and a visit from a famous explorer were all highlights of the Weird Weekend held at Woolsery Sports and Community Hall.
Delegates from near and far attended the annual event organised by the Woolsery-based Centre for Fortean Zoology.
One of them got a closer encounter with an unexplained happening than he bargained for.
David Curtis, 43, a care worker looking after autistic children in Durham, was driving back to the hall from his bed and breakfast base at around 10.55 on Friday night, when he spotted a triangular object floating above the telegraph wires on the road between Bucks Cross and Woolsery.
"It was as big as a bus and wider than the road I was travelling on," he told the Gazette. "It had a bright white light in the centre and red lights at each corner. It was making a whooshing noise, just like the sound you hear when you're standing near a wind turbine and was travelling at about 40mph.
"I only saw it for a few seconds and there was no sign of it when I looked in the fields next to the road. I'd like to know if anyone else saw the object.
The fact that it was Friday the 13th did not escape Mr Curtis, who drew a picture of the UFO, superimposed it on top of a photograph of the road and displayed the result on his laptop.
Danish zoologist Lars Thomas thrilled his audience when he told them studies he had done on hairs plucked from a bramble bush in the woods at Huddisford outside the village proved they belonged to a leopard.
There have been rumours of a black beast roaming the woods in the area for years. One young mother pushing her pram along the road at Clifford saw a big black cat lying in the branch of a tree overhanging the road and has not visited the area since.
Lars Thomas put the hair samples under his powerful microscope and pointed out the features which allowed him to identify them as belonging to a leopard.
He said he could not tell how long ago the beast might have been in the woods - a popular place for dog walkers, horse riders and cyclists - but he was in no doubt about his conclusions.
Famous explorer Colonel John Blashford-Snell, president of the Centre for Fortean Zoology, paid a surprise visit to the Weird Weekend on Saturday and spoke to the delegates.
http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/northdevongazette/news/story.aspx?brand=NDGOnline&category=news&tBrand=devon24&tCategory=newsndga&itemid=DEED18%20Aug%202010%2008%3A28%3A38%3A393
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
.First images of spotted leopard captured in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Researchers said Sunday they have captured the first images of a spotted leopard in Malaysia, putting to rest a decades-old debate over the existence of the endangered cat in the country.
The images were taken by camera traps set up in the Endau-Rompin national park as part of a 10-year project in southern Johor state, Wildlife Conservation Society Malaysia programme director Melvin Gumal told AFP.
"Out of the 11,500 images taken on the ground, only three were of the spotted leopard and this goes to prove that the spotted leopard does exist in Malaysia," he said. "It now gives the impetus for greater conservation in the Endau-Rompin area and greater collaboration to protect this extremely biodiverse site."
The spotted leopard has a prominent rosette pattern on its skin, unlike the black leopards, which make up the majority of such cats in Malaysia.
Gumal said the leopard was one of six species of big cats documented along with tigers and marbled cats from the 70 camera traps set up under the project. Leopards are found in much of Africa, across the Middle East and in Asia. Several of its subspecies, like the spotted leopard, are considered endangered.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I think something has been lost in translation here. Line one of the last paragraph should probably read `cats` rather than `big cats`. Thanks to Scottie W for the storyJD
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100418/wl_asia_afp/malaysiawildlifeanimalleopard
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