Rainforest leopard a new species, scientists say

The clouded leopard of Borneo is the latest in a growing list of animals and plants that are unique to the island's rainforest, underscoring the need to preserve the area, conservationists said Thursday.

Genetic tests by researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute revealed the clouded leopard of Borneo and Sumatra islands is a unique cat species and not the same one found in mainland Southeast Asia, as long believed, said a statement by WWF, the global conservation organization, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"Who said a leopard can never change its spots? For over a hundred years we have been looking at this animal and never realized it was unique," said Stuart Chapman,international co-ordinator of the WWF's Heart of Borneo program, dedicated to preserving the flora and fauna in the deep jungles on Borneo.

The secretive clouded leopards are the biggest predators on Borneo, growing sometimes to the size of a small panther. They have the longest canine teeth relative to body size of any cat.

"The fact that Borneo's top predator is now considered a separate species further emphasizes the importance of conserving the Heart of Borneo," Chapman said.

The news about the clouded leopard comes just a few weeks after a WWF report showed that scientists had identified at least 52 new species of animals and plants over the past year on the world's third largest island, which is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

The Heart of Borneo, a mountainous region about five times the size of Switzerland covered with equatorial rainforest in the centre of the island, isthe last great forest home of the Bornean clouded leopard.

Researchers believe that the Borneo population of the clouded leopard likely diverged from the mainland population some 1.4 million years ago.

Over the millennia, at least 40 differences emerged between the two species, making them as distinct as other large cat species, such as lions, tigers and jaguars.

The results of the genetic study are supported by separate research on geographical variation in the clouded leopard, based mainly on fur patterns and coloration held in museums and collections.

The Borneo clouded leopard is darker than the mainland species and has many distinct spots within its small cloud markings. It also has greyer fur and a double dorsal stripe.

Clouded leopards from the mainland have fewer and fainter markings within large clouds on their skin. They are also lighter in colour.

"It's incredible that no one has ever noticed these differences," said Andrew Kitchener, principal curator of mammals and birdswithNational Museums Scotland.

An estimated 5,000 to 11,000 Bornean clouded leopards live in the jungles of Borneo. The total number in Sumatra could be in the range of 3,000 to 7,000. The cats' biggest threat is destruction of their habitat.