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Nature & Environment

Formosan clouded leopard goes extinct

By T.K. Randall
May 3, 2013 · Comment icon 27 comments

Image Credit: CC 2.0 Frank Wouters
A subspecies of clouded leopard unique to Taiwan has been declared extinct by a team of zoologists.
The Formosan clouded leopard once roamed the wilds of Taiwan over territories that spanned from the hills of the Himalayas to Southeast Asia to China. Since 2001 researchers from Taiwan and the US have attempted to locate the animals using a network of 1,500 infra-red cameras but have to date found nothing. "There is little chance that the clouded leopard still exists in Taiwan," said zoologist Chiang Po-jen.

It is believed that a combination of illegal hunting and habitat destruction is responsible for the leopards' disappearance. The nearest living relatives are a pair of clouded leopards in Taipei Zoo that are an imported subspecies from Southeast Asia.
The Formosan clouded leopard, a clouded-leopard subspecies native to Taiwan, is now extinct, according to a team of zoologists.


Source: Live Science | Comments (27)

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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #18 Posted by Mnemonix 12 years ago
Clouded leopards are becoming rarer here, hopefully they won't share the same fate...
Comment icon #19 Posted by redhen 12 years ago
Sorry, but that's all I, a random Englishman living in his little part of the world, can do, I don't have the power to make much more of an impact than that, but the governments of the countries where these animals actually live...lived...could have done more, and can still do more. All I'm saying is that I am getting tired of adverts and donations, which I'm fairly certain aren't shown in many parts of the world that aren't in the Western hemisphere, while the countries that these animals are indigenous to never seem to be able to stop their extinction, that's what annoys me. I've seen some a... [More]
Comment icon #20 Posted by Hawkin 12 years ago
I don't like to sound gloomy but we humans are responsible for animal extinctions and deforestation of our planet and can't seem to live in harmony with nature. Our population keeps increasing while other species decrease. We destroy habitat for urban development for a growing population. I believe that nature will take care of that problem and someday thin out the herd.
Comment icon #21 Posted by redhen 12 years ago
I believe that nature will take care of that problem and someday thin out the herd. By destroying biodiversity we are sawing off the tree branch that we're sitting on.
Comment icon #22 Posted by Hawkin 12 years ago
By destroying biodiversity we are sawing off the tree branch that we're sitting on. Good link. Yes a lot of people are unaware of what's happening to there planet. They go about there daily lives and don't give any thought about their children or grandchild's future. I know in some western countries family sizes have been reduced to 1-3 children but their are 3rd world and developing nations that have large families. And migrants come to western countries increasing the populations there. I've notice on tv shows that in Florida housing development has encroached on the Everglades and the new r... [More]
Comment icon #23 Posted by TheSpoonyOne 12 years ago
I've seen some academic and popular articles about the cultural differences that are seen when it comes to environmental issues. Sad to day, but it seems that animal welfare and environmental concerns in general are a "white thing". I wish I still had access to scholarly databases, there are many papers with titles along the line of "Racial/Ethnic Group Attitudes Toward Environmental Protection in California: Is “Environmentalism” Still a White Phenomenon? " This problem goes beyond just the regular, routine government corruption and ineptitude in many 3rd world nations. The solution? Damm... [More]
Comment icon #24 Posted by evancj 12 years ago
I've seen some academic and popular articles about the cultural differences that are seen when it comes to environmental issues. Sad to day, but it seems that animal welfare and environmental concerns in general are a "white thing". I wish I still had access to scholarly databases, there are many papers with titles along the line of "Racial/Ethnic Group Attitudes Toward Environmental Protection in California: Is “Environmentalism” Still a White Phenomenon? " This problem goes beyond just the regular, routine government corruption and ineptitude in many 3rd world nations. The solution? Damm... [More]
Comment icon #25 Posted by redhen 12 years ago
I wonder if it is not so much a racial/ethnic thing and rather more a financial/economic thing. There is definitely an educational component, or lack there of here, which also translates into a financial/economic thing. I think you have a valid point. I would find it hard to believe that there's some sort of "green" gene that only is found in Caucasians. I could imagine that the priority of environmental/animal welfare issues are rather far down the list in societies that exist hand to mouth, no matter what ethnicity. But I still think these studies are on to something. Whenever you look at an... [More]
Comment icon #26 Posted by evancj 12 years ago
I think you have a valid point. I would find it hard to believe that there's some sort of "green" gene that only is found in Caucasians. I could imagine that the priority of environmental/animal welfare issues are rather far down the list in societies that exist hand to mouth, no matter what ethnicity. But I still think these studies are on to something. Whenever you look at an environmental protest it does seem to be predominately white kids. From my interests in animal rights/welfare I know that the first animal cruelty legislation and organizations were created in Britain. And they were sor... [More]
Comment icon #27 Posted by Abramelin 12 years ago
Reality, a lot of 'Chinese' (I know this is Taiwan) business people don't care whether they destroy natural ecosystems or not, as long as there is money in it. This tradition of money-first is sickening and it really needs to end! I expect it will end: it will be the moment we will start hunt each other when everything else is gone.
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