Trail cameras capture first-of-its-kind image of predator making meal of small creature in national park: 'Extremely significant'
A trail camera captured a unique image of a rare big cat, which has conservationists purring with excitement about its implications.
As Mongabay reported, a camera set up in Dehing Patkai National Park in Assam, northeast India, captured footage of a clouded leopard carrying a Bengal slow loris by the nape of its neck. Given their nocturnal habits and elusive nature, it's rare to ever see either creature in the wild.
Ranjith Ram, one of the park's officials, told the outlet that "only one or two people in my patrol party have reported seeing clouded leopards. So, the fact that a single camera trap image captures both these animals is extremely significant."
With just around 10,000 cats remaining in the wild in Southeast Asia, the clouded leopard is one of the smaller big cats, tipping the scales at a little over 50 pounds. Unlike other big cats, they cannot roar, and unlike small cats, they don't purr.
This quiet feline still leaves a big impression as it can punch well above its modest weight thanks to powerful legs and exceptionally large canine teeth. The clouded leopard's lengthy gnashers are equivalent to a tiger's, a feline ten times larger, per Global Conservation.
Like other big cats in the area, clouded leopards are threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. As the World Wildlife Fund notes, their pelts are widely sold by unscrupulous traders attempting to pass them off as tiger pelts, and they are believed to have already become extinct in China and Taiwan.
The images underline the vital importance of trail cameras in forming effective conservation strategies. They aid researchers in keeping tabs on some of the rarest species on Earth without intruding on their habitats. The cameras are also helpful in generating public interest in climate issues, as it's a lot more productive to center conversations around positive developments.
As a paper on the images noted, the pictures captured by the trail camera have helped fill in the scholarly gaps in the leopard's dietary habits: "This photographic record fills in the information gap on the prey preference of the clouded leopard in its Indian distribution range."
Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty?
Definitely
Only in some areas
No way
I'm not sure
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Spectators from across the globe gather on Space Coast for Ax-4 launch to ISS
The pre-dawn sky over Florida's Space Coast erupted in a brilliant blaze of light Wednesday morning as the Axiom Mission 4 thundered into orbit. At precisely 2:31 a.m., a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A, carrying four astronauts on a private mission to the International Space Station. The launch was a spectacle, turning night into day for miles around. For the spectators gathered at Space View Park in Titusville, it was an unforgettable experience. 'It's awesome ... the first time that we saw that. It's very fantastic,' shared Nicholas Piette, who was visiting the Sunshine State from Belgium. For some, the experience was a happy accident, turning a Florida road trip into a memory of a lifetime. 'We didn't know, because we are here on holiday... and when we heard that there is this launch rocket tonight, we didn't hesitate. We wanted to see it and to witness this event ... it was a great memory for us,' said Constance Dandon, visiting from France. The mission carries a truly global crew. Veteran American astronaut Peggy Whitson is commanding a team that includes pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland, and mission specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary. For India, Poland, and Hungary, this marks a historic return to government-sponsored human spaceflight after decades. 'It's surreal,' expressed Swamy Adapa from India, feeling a profound sense of pride knowing an Indian astronaut was heading to space for only the second time in nearly 40 years. Once docked with the ISS, the Ax-4 crew will spend approximately two weeks conducting a packed schedule of dozens of scientific experiments. They will include research into human health in space and advanced materials, contributing to our understanding of living and working off-world. This mission will also mark a crucial step for Axiom Space as they work toward their long-term goal of building and operating the first commercial space station. As the Falcon 9's first stage booster executed its signature, precise landing back on Earth, the successful launch showcased the continuing advancements in reusable rocket technology, paving the way for more frequent and affordable access to space. For everyone who witnessed it, planned or by chance, the early morning launch was a shared moment of wonder that lit up the horizon and faces of those who were lucky enough to see it. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trail cameras capture first-of-its-kind image of predator making meal of small creature in national park: 'Extremely significant'
A trail camera captured a unique image of a rare big cat, which has conservationists purring with excitement about its implications. As Mongabay reported, a camera set up in Dehing Patkai National Park in Assam, northeast India, captured footage of a clouded leopard carrying a Bengal slow loris by the nape of its neck. Given their nocturnal habits and elusive nature, it's rare to ever see either creature in the wild. Ranjith Ram, one of the park's officials, told the outlet that "only one or two people in my patrol party have reported seeing clouded leopards. So, the fact that a single camera trap image captures both these animals is extremely significant." With just around 10,000 cats remaining in the wild in Southeast Asia, the clouded leopard is one of the smaller big cats, tipping the scales at a little over 50 pounds. Unlike other big cats, they cannot roar, and unlike small cats, they don't purr. This quiet feline still leaves a big impression as it can punch well above its modest weight thanks to powerful legs and exceptionally large canine teeth. The clouded leopard's lengthy gnashers are equivalent to a tiger's, a feline ten times larger, per Global Conservation. Like other big cats in the area, clouded leopards are threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. As the World Wildlife Fund notes, their pelts are widely sold by unscrupulous traders attempting to pass them off as tiger pelts, and they are believed to have already become extinct in China and Taiwan. The images underline the vital importance of trail cameras in forming effective conservation strategies. They aid researchers in keeping tabs on some of the rarest species on Earth without intruding on their habitats. The cameras are also helpful in generating public interest in climate issues, as it's a lot more productive to center conversations around positive developments. As a paper on the images noted, the pictures captured by the trail camera have helped fill in the scholarly gaps in the leopard's dietary habits: "This photographic record fills in the information gap on the prey preference of the clouded leopard in its Indian distribution range." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
9 hours ago
Astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary blast off on a privately funded trip to the space station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- India, Poland and Hungary launched their first astronauts in more than 40 years Wednesday, sending them on a private flight to the International Space Station. The three countries shared the tab for the two-week mission. Axiom Space, the Houston company that arranged the deal, put the ticket price at more than $65 million per customer. SpaceX's Falcon rocket blasted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center two weeks late because of space station leak concerns. The capsule on top carried not only the three newcomers to space — none of whom were alive when their countries' first astronauts launched — but America's most experienced astronaut, Peggy Whitson. Besides Whitson, the crew includes India's Shubhanshu Shukla, a pilot in the Indian Air Force; Hungary's Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer; and Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, a radiation expert and one of the European Space Agency's project astronauts sometimes pressed into temporary duty. The astronauts are due to arrive at the orbiting lab the next morning. In addition to dozens of experiments, the astronauts are flying food that celebrates their heritage: Indian curry and rice with mango nectar; spicy Hungarian paprika paste; and freeze-fried Polish pierogies. Hungary's first astronaut, Bertalan Farkas, cheered on Kapu from the launch site. 'For such a small country as Hungary, it is really important to collaborate in a peaceful international space cooperation,' Farkas told The Associated Press. He called it 'one of the most important moments" of his life. Farkas launched with the Soviets in 1980, taking along a teddy bear in a cosmonaut suit that went back up with Kapu. India and Poland's original astronauts also launched with the Soviets in the late 1970s and 1980s. Uznanski-Wisniewski carried up the Polish flag worn on his predecessor's spacesuit, noting that Miroslaw Hermaszewski was his biggest supporter until his death in 2022. India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma, couldn't make it to Florida for the launch; Shukla said he's been a mentor 'at every step of this journey' and is flying a surprise gift for him. While others born in India and Hungary have flown in space before — including NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who died aboard the shuttle Columbia in 2003, and two-time space tourist Charles Simonyi, of Microsoft fame — they were U.S. citizens at the time of launch. Shukla said before the flight that he hopes 'to ignite the curiosity of an entire generation in my country' and drive innovation. Like his crewmates, he plans several outreach events with those back home. 'I truly believe that even though I, as an individual, am traveling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people,' he said. It was Axiom's fourth chartered flight to the space station since 2022 and Whitson's second time flying as an Axiom crew commander and chaperone. The trip caused her to miss her induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame late last month, since she was in quarantine before the flight. Whitson joined Axiom after retiring from NASA nearly a decade ago and has logged almost two years in orbit over her career. Once opposed to nontraditional station guests, NASA now throws out the welcome mat, charging for their food and upkeep while insisting that an experienced astronaut accompany them. It's all part of NASA's push to open space — moon included — to private businesses. Axiom is among several U.S. companies planning to launch their own space stations in the next few years. The goal is for them to be up and running before the international station comes down in 2031 after more than three decades of operation. Access to space 'is not only for the biggest agencies anymore — space is for everyone,' Poland's Uznanski-Wisniewski said ahead of liftoff. He repeated the sentiment upon reaching orbit. Hungarians want to 'sit at the same table with the giants,' said Kapu. Through this mission, 'Hungary gets one step closer to the stars.' They should have flown earlier this year, but their mission was delayed following a switch in SpaceX capsules. The change enabled NASA's two stuck astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to return to Earth in March sooner than planned. The Axiom astronauts faced more launch delays once arriving in Florida. SpaceX had to fix an oxygen leak in its rocket, then NASA put the crew's visit on indefinite hold while monitoring repairs to longtime air leaks on the Russian side of the space station. Once in orbit, the astronauts radioed messages in their native languages and revealed the name they gave to their brand-new capsule: Grace. 'Good things come to those who wait," SpaceX told the crew. "Godspeed to the maiden crew of Grace.' SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk's Falcon rockets launching from Florida and California are considerably smaller than the Starships making test flights out of Texas and, this year, exploding one after the other. Reliable frequent flyers, Falcons have been carrying crews to orbit since 2020. NASA needs Starship for the moon, while Musk envisions it for Mars travel. ___
