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Rare cats caught on camera on Indonesia island
A rarely seen cat has been caught on camera along with four other wild feline species in a previously unsurveyed rain-forest in the world`s third largest island in Indonesia.
London: A rarely seen cat has been caught on camera along with four other wild feline species in a previously unsurveyed rain-forest in the world`s third largest island in Indonesia.
The bay cat - Pardofelis badia - had been recorded on camera traps just a handful of times in its Borneo forest home and was only photographed in the wild for the first time in 2003.
But more images of this animal have been captured than ever before, together with evidence of four other wild cat species, in a heavily logged area of forest where they were not expected to thrive.
This is only one of four forest areas in all of Borneo - the world`s third largest and Asia`s largest island - which has so far been reported to have all five species, including the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) and marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata). "We discovered that randomly placed cameras have a big influence on the species recorded," Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Imperial College London researcher Oliver Wearn said.
Camera traps have transformed how information is collected for many species of mammals and birds, including some of the most charismatic species in existence, like tigers.
Many of these species are exceedingly good at spotting, and avoiding, conservationists who spend time in the field seeking them. Camera traps, on the other hand, sit silently in the forest often working for months on end come rain or shine. All five cat species mentioned are charismatic and important components of the forest ecosystems, and predators of a wide range of other animals.
They are also highly-threatened: four of the five species are listed as threatened with global extinction on the IUCN Red List.
Almost nothing is known about the habits of the mysterious bay cat, but it is thought to be at risk of extinction due to widespread loss of its habitat on Borneo.
"We were completely surprised to see so many bay cats at these sites in Borneo where natural forests have been so heavily logged for the timber trade.
"Conservationists used to assume that very few wild animals can live in logged forest, but we now know this land can be home for many endangered species," Dr Robert Ewers from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial, said.
"Our study today shows solid evidence that even large carnivores, such as these magnificent bay cats, can survive in commercially logged forests," Ewers added.
The bay cat - Pardofelis badia - had been recorded on camera traps just a handful of times in its Borneo forest home and was only photographed in the wild for the first time in 2003.
But more images of this animal have been captured than ever before, together with evidence of four other wild cat species, in a heavily logged area of forest where they were not expected to thrive.
This is only one of four forest areas in all of Borneo - the world`s third largest and Asia`s largest island - which has so far been reported to have all five species, including the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) and marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata). "We discovered that randomly placed cameras have a big influence on the species recorded," Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Imperial College London researcher Oliver Wearn said.
Camera traps have transformed how information is collected for many species of mammals and birds, including some of the most charismatic species in existence, like tigers.
Many of these species are exceedingly good at spotting, and avoiding, conservationists who spend time in the field seeking them. Camera traps, on the other hand, sit silently in the forest often working for months on end come rain or shine. All five cat species mentioned are charismatic and important components of the forest ecosystems, and predators of a wide range of other animals.
They are also highly-threatened: four of the five species are listed as threatened with global extinction on the IUCN Red List.
Almost nothing is known about the habits of the mysterious bay cat, but it is thought to be at risk of extinction due to widespread loss of its habitat on Borneo.
"We were completely surprised to see so many bay cats at these sites in Borneo where natural forests have been so heavily logged for the timber trade.
"Conservationists used to assume that very few wild animals can live in logged forest, but we now know this land can be home for many endangered species," Dr Robert Ewers from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial, said.
"Our study today shows solid evidence that even large carnivores, such as these magnificent bay cats, can survive in commercially logged forests," Ewers added.