Borneo's Catlike Animal Likely New Species

Woodmonkey · 12-06-2005, 15:15

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Borneo's Catlike Animal Likely New Species

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JAKARTA, Indonesia - A catlike creature photographed by camera traps on Borneo Island is likely to be a new species of carnivore, the World Wildlife Fund said Tuesday.

If confirmed, the animal — which has dark red fur and a long, bushy tail — would be first new carnivore species discovered on the island since 1895, when the Borneo ferret-badger was found, the fund said.

Cameras set up to photograph wildlife in Kayan Mentarang National Park on the Indonesian side of Borneo island have twice captured images of the animal, said Stephan Wulffraat, a Dutch biologist who is coordinating the WWF's research into the species.

"We have consulted several Bornean wildlife experts. Some thought it looked like a lemur, but most were convinced it was a new species of carnivore," Wulffraat said. "Until we have a live specimen in our hands, we can't be 100 percent sure. Now, I'm only 90 percent sure."

Since 1994, researchers have found more than 360 new species on Borneo island, most of them insects and plants.

The island, which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, has some of the most diverse wildlife on Earth, but its forests are under threat from expanding rubber and oil palm plantations.

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DocDiggs · 12-06-2005, 16:33

This sort of thing is always so interesting.

It has been estimated that there are several thousands of unidentified species of living things. One of the major difficulties in finding them is that for they most part they are now in rather dimished, obscure regions or because of the ongoing encroaching endeavors of mankind, growing pollution, and shrinking wild areas, they are very likely in very small localized populations in the wild. Because of this, many will eventually become extinct due to a growing lack of food in the case of animals and specific environmental conditions and requirements for both animals and plants. The extinctions of these populations will become faster as the population of humans becomes greater. A great part of the problem is related to the fact that those in power all around the world who could slow the process by addressing the problems that pertain to these things just do not care about them for the most part.

Woodmonkey · 12-06-2005, 18:05

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Originally Posted by DocDiggs

This sort of thing is always so interesting.

It has been estimated that there are several thousands of unidentified species of living things. One of the major difficulties in finding them is that for they most part they are now in rather dimished, obscure regions or because of the ongoing encroaching endeavors of mankind, growing pollution, and shrinking wild areas, they are very likely in very small localized populations in the wild. Because of this, many will eventually become extinct due to a growing lack of food in the case of animals and specific environmental conditions and requirements for both animals and plants. The extinctions of these populations will become faster as the population of humans becomes greater. A great part of the problem is related to the fact that those in power all around the world who could slow the process by addressing the problems that pertain to these things just do not care about them for the most part.

I recall reading that animals have always gone extinct throughout history. However, the process has speeded up considerably.

conlor · 12-06-2005, 20:29

I heard this on the radio this morning and that it was pretty neat. But is it a species that's been around forever and just discovered, or possibly part of different animals that mated and created a different-looking offspring?

filthybeast · 12-07-2005, 11:15

Beast makes detailed notes. New Pussy found I must investigate. A Redhead that eats Meat.

DocDiggs · 12-07-2005, 12:53

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Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

I recall reading that animals have always gone extinct throughout history. However, the process has speeded up considerably.

Very true. Extinctions are normal under the best of circumstances. Some have been catastrophic and apparently almost immediately or over a very short period of time. Generally, however, they do take a longer period of time.

We see this latter among cheetahs for instance. There are two major populations of cheetahs in Africa. They used to be able to interbreed, thusly exchanging strengthening genes as well as breeding among their own populations. However because of the growing pops. of humans, the ranges of the cheetahs have shrunk tremendously and the cheetah pops. cannot interbreed. As a result of the forced inbreeding of the cheetahs now, they are losing genetic strength and are weakening in their ability to birth healthy and viable kits. It is quite likely that the extinction of cheetahs is not far off. There are groups that are cross breeding individuals of the two pops. in captivity and then releasing them back int the wild. While this may well be a temp. solution, the fact remains that cheetahs will continue to lose their ranges and will eventually probably exist only in zoos.

The primary reason for highly speeded up extinction going on now and probably starting with the beginning of the Industrial Age, is environmental pollution. Also climate change is a serious factor that cannot be overlooked or simply set aside.

While climate change does normally take place over cycles of thousands of years, the "greenhouse effect" caused by pollution of the gaseous envelope in which we live is turning a thousands of years cycle into a hundreds of years cycle and quite possibly if we look at the obvious evidence, into decades. Very good evidence that is really very easy to see is the melting of the polar icecaps. This in itself can cause possibly catastrophic results in the oceans which in turn will influence the climate and weather over land. Birds and animals and plants are already responding to these changes by changing their ranges and often their behaviors. As far as plants are concerned, we are going to find very quickly I would think, that croplands will change also.

I suggest that one read about the "Little Ice Ages" of the 1300's and again in 1800's. While these were caused by huge volcanic eruptions spewing dust and other material into the atmosphere, the end result was a short, quick demonstration of what happens when the atmosphere is polluted and Ole Earth reacts. Not a pretty thing.