Clouded Tiger: New Species in Borneo

GENEVA, THURSDAY - Although already identified more than 100 years ago, the clouded leopard found on Borneo and Sumatra island only recently recognized as a new species since late last year. DNA test results showed, clouded leopard from Indonesia that has many different genetic properties similar to clouded leopards spread across the continent of Asia.

From now on, Neofelis diardi a new species name. Previously called the Borneo clouded leopard species name Neofelis nebulosa diardi. Clouded leopard was first identified in 1821 by British naturalist Edward Griffith and given the scientific name Neofelis nebulosa. Until now, all clouded leopards which are found in Asia are classified into one species with several subspecies variants.

However, DNA tests conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the U.S. showed that the clouded leopard in Borneo and Sumatra has 36 different genetic makeup than the clouded leopard general. In comparison, the lion and tiger are both big cats have different genetic properties of 56. Results of research conducted Valerie A. Buckley-Beason from the Laboratory of Genome Diversity at NCI and a number of his colleagues carried out on 109 clouded leopards living in different regions. These findings have been published the results in the journal Current Biology on December 6, 2006.

"For more than 100 years we see these animals and do not realize that he was unique," said Stuart Chapman, coordinator of the Heart of Borneo, programs, World Wide Fund (WWF), which aims to preserve forests on Borneo island. The new clouded leopard is classified as a new species is expected to remain between 5,000 to 11,000 thousand in Borneo and between 3,000 to 7,000 in Sumatra.

He has a style like a cloud of small, double-striped pattern on the back, and hair color gray, darker than similar species. Meanwhile, spread a kind of clouded leopard in Nepal, southern China, and Southeast Asia has a large cloud patterns, striped patterns only near the tail, and bright hair colors.

Neofelis diardi is a major predator on Borneo that are in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam. Diet monkeys, deer, birds and lizards. The size of canines belonging to his longest among other cats. Life expectancy is now only remaining in the area of Heart of Borneo, a tropical forest in the central part of Borneo area of 220 thousand square kilometers which last month set by the government of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam as a conservation area.

These findings prove the importance of conservation efforts on the island of Borneo. Late last year, WWF announced the discovery of 52 new species, including 30 species of fish and plants on the island. (Source: AP)