| Sunda clouded leopard Temporal range: EarlyPleistocene to recent | |
|---|---|
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| ABornean clouded leopard, lowerKinabatangan River, easternSabah,Malaysia | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Felidae |
| Genus: | Neofelis |
| Species: | N. diardi |
| Binomial name | |
| Neofelis diardi (G. Cuvier, 1823) | |
| Subspecies | |
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| Distribution of Sunda clouded leopard, 2016[1] | |
TheSunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) is a medium-sized wildcat native toBorneo andSumatra. It is listed asVulnerable on theIUCN Red List since 2015, as the total effective population probably consists of fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a decreasing population trend. On bothSunda Islands, it is threatened bydeforestation.[1]It was classified as a separatespecies, distinct from its close relative, theclouded leopard in mainlandSoutheast Asia based on a study in 2006.[2] Its fur is darker with a smaller cloud pattern.[3][4]
This cat is also known as theSundaland clouded leopard,Enkuli clouded leopard,[1]Diard's clouded leopard,[5] andDiard's cat.[6]
The Sunda clouded leopard is overall grayish yellow or gray hue. It has a double midline on the back and is marked with small irregular cloud-like patterns on shoulders. These cloud markings have frequent spots inside and form two or more rows that are arranged vertically from the back on the flanks.[3]It can purr as itshyoid bone is ossified. Its pupils contract to vertical slits.[7]
It has a stocky build and weighs around 12 to 26 kg (26 to 57 lb). Itscanine teeth are 2 in (5.1 cm) long, which, in proportion to the skull length, are longer than those of any otherliving cat. Its tail can grow to be as long as its body, aiding balance.[citation needed]
The Sunda clouded leopard is restricted to the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. In Borneo, it occurs inlowland rainforest, and at lower density in logged forest below 1,500 m (4,900 ft). In Sumatra, it appears to be more abundant in hilly,montane areas. It is unknown if it still occurs on theBatu Islands close to Sumatra.[1]
Between March and August 2005, tracks of clouded leopards were recorded during field research in theTabin Wildlife Reserve inSabah. The population size in the 56 km2 (22 sq mi) research area was estimated to be five individuals, based on a capture-recapture analysis of four confirmed animals differentiated by their tracks. The density was estimated at eight to 17 individuals per 100 km2 (39 sq mi). The population in Sabah is roughly estimated at 1,500–3,200 individuals, with only 275–585 of them living in totally protected reserves that are large enough to hold a long-term viable population of more than 50 individuals.[8] Density outside protected areas in Sabah is probably much lower, estimated at one individual per 100 km2 (39 sq mi).[9]
In Sumatra, it was recorded inKerinci Seblat,Gunung Leuser andBukit Barisan Selatan National Parks.[10][11][12] It occurs most probably in much lower densities than on Borneo. One explanation for this lower density of about 1.29 individuals per 100 km2 (39 sq mi) might be that on Sumatra it issympatric with theSumatran tiger, whereas on Borneo it is the largest carnivore.[13]
Clouded leopardfossils wereexcavated onJava, where it perhaps became extinct in theHolocene.[14]
The habits of the Sunda clouded leopard are largely unknown because of the animal's secretive nature. It is assumed that it is generally solitary. It hunts mainly on the ground and uses its climbing skills to hide from dangers.[citation needed]
The diet of Sunda clouded leopards is not well known, but observations suggest it feeds onsambar deer,muntjacs,Bornean bearded pigs,mouse deer,porcupines, andprimates.[1]
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Felis diardi was thescientific name proposed byGeorges Cuvier in 1823 in honour ofPierre-Médard Diard, who sent a skin and a drawing from Java toNational Museum of Natural History, France.[15] It was subordinated as aclouded leopardsubspecies byReginald Innes Pocock in 1917.[16]
Results ofmolecular genetic analysis of hair samples from mainland and Sunda clouded leopards showed differences inmtDNA,nuclear DNA sequences, andmicrosatellite andcytogenetic variation. This indicates that theydiverged between 2 and 0.9 million years ago; theirlast common ancestor probably crossed a now submergedland bridge to reach Borneo and Sumatra.[2] Results of amorphometric analysis of thepelages of 57 clouded leopards sampled throughout the genus' wide geographical range indicated that the two morphological groups differ primarily in the size of their cloud markings. ThegenusNeofelis was therefore reclassified as comprising two distinct species,N. nebulosa on the mainland andN. diardi in Sumatra and Borneo.[2][3]
Molecular, craniomandibular, and dental analysis indicates the Sunda clouded leopard has two distinct subspecies with separate evolutionary histories:[17]
Both populations are estimated to have diverged during theMiddle toLate Pleistocene. This split corresponds roughly with the catastrophic super-eruption of theToba Volcano in Sumatra 69,000–77,000 years ago. A probable scenario is that Sunda clouded leopards from Borneo recolonized Sumatra during periods of low sea levels in thePleistocene, and were later separated from their source population by rising sea levels.[17]
Sunda clouded leopards being stronglyarboreal are forest-dependent, and are increasingly threatened byhabitat destruction followingdeforestation in Indonesia as well as inMalaysia.[1]
Since the early 1970s, much of the forest cover has been cleared in southern Sumatra, in particular lowlandtropical evergreen forest. Fragmentation of forest stands and agricultural encroachments have rendered wildlife particularly vulnerable to human pressure.[18] Borneo has one of the world's highestdeforestation rates. While in the mid-1980s forests still covered nearly three quarters of the island, by 2005 only 52% of Borneo was still forested. Both forests and land make way for human settlement.Illegal trade in wildlife is a widely spread practice.[19]
The population status of Sunda clouded leopards in Sumatra and Borneo has been estimated to decrease due toforest loss,forest conversion,illegal logging,encroachment, and possibly hunting. In Borneo, forest fires pose an additional threat, particularly inKaltimantan and in theSebangau National Park.[20]
There have been reports ofpoaching of Sunda clouded leopards in Brunei'sBelait District where locals are selling their pelts at a lucrative price.[21]
In Indonesia, the Sunda clouded leopard is threatened by illegal hunting and trade. Between 2011 and 2019, body parts of 32 individuals were seized including 17 live individuals, six skins, several canines and claws. One live individual seized in Jakarta had been ordered by aKuwaiti buyer.[22]
Neofelis diardi is listed onCITES Appendix I, and is fully protected in Sumatra,Kalimantan,Sabah,Sarawak andBrunei. Sunda clouded leopards occur in most protected areas along the Sumatran mountain spine and in most protected areas on Borneo.[1]
Since November 2006, the Bornean Wild Cat and Clouded Leopard Project based in theDanum Valley Conservation Area and theTabin Wildlife Reserve aims to study the behaviour and ecology of the five species of Bornean wild cat —bay cat,flat-headed cat,marbled cat,leopard cat, and Sunda clouded leopard — and their prey, with a focus on the clouded leopard; investigate the effects of habitat alteration; increase awareness of the Bornean wild cats and their conservation needs, using the clouded leopard as a flagship species; and investigate threats to the Bornean wild cats from hunting and trade in Sabah.[23]
The Sunda clouded leopard is one of the focal cats of the projectConservation of Carnivores in Sabah based in northeastern Borneo since July 2008. The project team evaluates the consequences of different forms of forest exploitation for the abundance and density of felids in three commercially used forest reserves. They intend to assess the conservation needs of these felids and develop species specific conservation action plans together with other researchers and all local stakeholders.[24]
The scientific name of the genusNeofelis is a composite of theGreek word νεο- meaning "new, fresh, strange", and theLatin wordfeles meaning "cat", so it literally means "new cat."[25][26]
TheIndonesian name for the clouded leopardrimau-dahan means "tree tiger" or "branch tiger".[27] In Sarawak, it is known asentulu.[28]
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