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Clouded Leopard Sighting Stuns Conservationists
28 Feb
Summary
- A trail camera captured a rare clouded leopard with prey.
- The sighting occurred in Dehing Patkai National Park, India.
- This image provides crucial data on clouded leopard diet.
In a significant find for conservation, a trail camera in India's Dehing Patkai National Park captured a rare image of a clouded leopard. The elusive feline was seen carrying a Bengal slow loris, a creature rarely observed due to its nocturnal habits. This sighting is particularly noteworthy as clouded leopards are small, powerful big cats with unique characteristics, including large canine teeth.
Conservationists are excited by the implications of this photographic evidence. It helps fill gaps in scholarly knowledge regarding the clouded leopard's prey preferences in its Indian range.
Clouded leopards, with an estimated 10,000 individuals remaining in Southeast Asia, face threats from habitat destruction and poaching. Their pelts are often falsely marketed as tiger pelts. The success of trail cameras in documenting such rare species underscores their importance for monitoring and conservation without disturbing their natural habitats.
