Latest news with #Sumatran
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Rare clouded leopard captured in viral video calmly exploring Malaysia road
A video uploaded on Facebook shows a Bornean clouded leopard roaming in the Matu District of Sarawak's Mukah Division. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM SAAT MAJUNI/FACEBOOK A family in Malaysia recently captured on video the sight of a rare Bornean clouded leopard calmly exploring its surroundings as they were driving down a road in Sarawak. The footage, which was taken in broad daylight in the Matu District of Sarawak's Mukah Division and has been widely shared on social media, shows the endangered cat on the road in the middle of an area with tall grass. The cat is seen sniffing the ground and appears to be tame despite the presence of the vehicle. In a Facebook post on June 3, the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) said the sighting of the clouded leopard in the area indicates that Sarawak remains a natural habitat for protected wild animal species. 'This incident proves that the Sarawak Government's continuous efforts through SFC in preserving and protecting the state's biodiversity is bearing fruit,' it added. However, it also said the animal's appearance during the day, and in an area near humans, is most likely due to disturbances in its habitat, or a lack of food resources in the surrounding forest areas. The Bornean (Neofelis diardi borneensis) and Sumatran (Neofelis diardi diardi) clouded leopards were recognised as separate subspecies of the Sunda clouded leopard in 2007. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified Sunda clouded leopards as a vulnerable species . Environmental organisation Permian Global describes the Bornean clouded leopards as 'Borneo's largest terrestrial predators'. According to non-profit organisation Felidae Conservation Fund, this species is typically found in dense lowland and hill forests, and avoids open areas with few trees. They are referred as 'clouded' leopards due to the large spots on their sides, which resemble dark clouds, the organisation said on its website. Full-grown adults can have fangs up to about 5cm long and tails that equal their body length, which allow them to balance in trees as they wait for prey. However, the organisation also noted that little is known about the behaviour and ecology of this species. Population estimates also vary. Sarawak lists clouded leopards as ' totally protected wildlife' . Anyone who hunt, kill, keep or sell such animals can be fined up to RM50,000 (S$15,175) and jailed up to five years. The SFC said it is taking the matter seriously and has sent a team to assess the situation. Residents have been advised to exercise vigilance, avoid close interactions, and to immediately report any wild animal sightings to the authorities. The SFC also reminded the public that wildlife is an 'invaluable asset and their protection is a collective responsibility'. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Straits Times
14 hours ago
- General
- New Straits Times
Malaysia, India may team up over wildlife smuggling
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Border Control and Protection Agency (MCBA) has pledged to work with Indian authorities following the arrest of a passenger caught smuggling two exotic monitor lizards from Kuala Lumpur to India. MCBA Air Domain director Zuhailah Jalani said that while there has been no prior collaboration with Indian authorities, they are open to working together to curb such smuggling attempts. "To date, we have not had any cooperation with Indian Authorities but we are willing to aid in their investigation if there is any request from them. "Moving forward, MCBA will seek to collaborate with the authorities there through the Indian Embassy and other international organisations," she told the New Straits Times. Zuhailah's remarks comes after Indian airport authorities busted a passenger smuggling two protected monitor lizards in his checked baggage upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur, highlighting India's lucrative illegal wildlife trade. Acting on intelligence, officers from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Tiruchirappalli International Airport in Tamil Nadu, uncovered the reptiles during an inspection. Meanwhile, Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim said the department would maintain close communications with the Indian authorities. "We will contact the Indian authorities through Interpol National Central Bureau Kuala Lumpur to gather further information on the case," he said. Photos released by authorities showed the two reptiles with their mouths and limbs tightly bound before being wrapped in black cloth. Their legs were also secured with tape, highlighting the cruel methods used in wildlife smuggling. In a statement issued in April, the Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) raised concern over Kuala Lumpur International Airport's ongoing role as a key transit hub in the illegal wildlife trade. In early March, two individuals boarded a flight to Chennai with a suitcase containing eight exotic animals, including Eastern Grey Gibbons, marbled polecats, a silvery lutung, and a Sumatran white-bearded palm civet, it had said in a statement. Three baby siamang gibbons were found dead.
New Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Passenger caught smuggling two monitor lizards at Indian Airport
KUALA LUMPUR: Indian airport authorities busted a passenger smuggling two exotic monitor lizards in his checked baggage upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur, highlighting India's lucrative illegal wildlife trade. Acting on intelligence, officers from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Tiruchirappalli International Airport in Tamil Nadu, uncovered the reptiles during an inspection. "Officers of AIU Trichy airport on the basis of intelligence intercepted a passenger who arrived from Kuala Lumpur to Trichy ... and the examination of his checked in baggage resulted in the recovery of two monitor lizards," said a communication posted in the X platform of the Trichy Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate yesterday. Photos released by authorities showed the two reptiles with their mouths and limbs tightly bound before being wrapped in black cloth. Their legs were also secured with tape, highlighting the cruel methods used in wildlife smuggling. "Further investigations are ongoing," it added. NST has reached out to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (Perhilitan) for comment. Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim last month said it had deployed 20 officers to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) as part of intensified efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade. The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) has described the smuggling of exotic wildlife through KLIA as a "national embarrassment". In a statement issued in April, CAP expressed alarm over KLIA's continued role as a major transit point in the illegal wildlife trade. In early March, two individuals boarded a flight to Chennai with a suitcase containing eight exotic animals, including Eastern Grey Gibbons, marbled polecats, a silvery lutung, and a Sumatran white-bearded palm civet, it had said in a statement. Three baby siamang gibbons were found dead. Meanwhile, Kadir said that India offers a large market, making it a prime target for wildlife smuggling syndicates. "In addition to being sold as pets, the black market there highly values rhino horns, pangolin scales, and tiger bones for traditional medicine purposes," he said. India has emerged as the main destination, accounting for nearly 73 per cent of wildlife smuggling cases. Based on the information, the airports in Chennai and Mumbai are identified as the main hubs for this illegal trade.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Orangutan escapes exhibit after a ‘malfunction' at Denver Zoo
DENVER (KDVR) — An orangutan was able to escape from its exhibit after a 'malfunction' at the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Wednesday. The Denver Zoo confirmed with FOX31 that on Wednesday, around 3:45 p.m., employees were doing a check when they discovered that an orangutan wasn't in its exhibit. Jake Kubié with the Denver Zoo said there was a 'malfunction in the primary enclosure area,' and an orangutan left the enclosure. Toucan relocated from SeaQuest to Denver Zoo euthanized after medical battles However, the great ape wasn't completely on the loose. Kubié said the orangutan went into another area for specialists and didn't come in contact with any employees or visitors. The zoo has Sumatran orangutans, a species that is usually between three and six feet tall and weighs between 66 and 250 pounds, depending on their gender. Here's what they look like: The Denver Zoo is an 80-acre campus in the City Park neighborhood. The zoo said there are over 2,500 animals at the zoo, including penguins, camels, hippopotamus and lions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
National Geographic
5 days ago
- National Geographic
Earth's Most Interesting Animals
Photographs by Getty Images Before your visit, discover some of Earth's most captivating creatures found at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, like the stealthy Sumatran tiger, the soaring California condor, and the resilient desert tortoise—each with its own fascinating traits that you can observe during your safari adventure. The southern white rhino, nearly 99 percent of which are found in South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, is one of the largest land animals on Earth, second only to elephants. Despite the name, these rhinos are gray, and "white" was likely derived from the Afrikaans word for "wide," referring to their broad, square mouths. These semi-social animals often live in groups; males are usually solitary and mark their territory with dung. White rhinos are grazers, and enjoy rolling in mud to cool off and protect their skin. The critically endangered Sumatran tiger, native to Indonesia's island of Sumatra, is the smallest of all tiger subspecies—possibly an adaptation to its dense, island habitat. Built for stealth over stamina, it relies on quiet, calculated ambushes rather than long chases, and is capable of sprinting up to 40 miles per hour in short bursts. Desert tortoises native to the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico, thrive in extreme heat by digging burrows up to 30 feet long to escape the scorching sun. A desert tortoise can collect rainwater in grooves it digs in the ground, and survive for up to a year without fresh water by storing water in its bladder. While generally solitary, male tortoises occasionally fight for dominance, using the curved horns on the undersides of their shells to flip each other over; the defeated tortoise accepts its loss once it rights itself. The platypus is one of nature's most curious creations, often described as looking like it's part duck, part beaver, and part otter. Native to Australia, it's one of only two egg-laying mammals, with females nesting in burrows and nursing their young for three to four months after they hatch. In the water, the platypus hunts with its eyes, ears, and nostrils closed, using its sensitive bill to detect prey on the riverbed. Despite its playful look, the male platypus carries venomous spurs on its hind legs, making it as formidable as it is fascinating. Przewalski's horses are considered by many to be the last truly wild horses, and were named after Russian explorer Nikolai Przewalski, who first encountered them during his expeditions in the late 1800s. These hardy horses roamed the grasslands of Asia and Europe for millennia before becoming extinct in the wild by the 1960s. Thanks to captive breeding and conservation efforts, they've been reintroduced, though some scientists now believe they may be descendants of domesticated horses that returned to the wild. Today, only around 2,000 Przewalski's horses remain, living in social groups called harems led by a single dominant stallion and known for their strong family bonds, or in smaller "bachelor" groups of breeding-age males driven out of the harem by the stallion. The California condor, the largest flying bird in North America, has a wingspan of nearly 10 feet and can soar up to 15,000 feet. Once ranging across North America from coast to coast, California condors now live mainly in California, Arizona, Utah, and Mexico. These scavengers prefer feeding on large mammal carcasses and can travel hundreds of miles a day in search of food. With slow reproduction rates, the critically endangered condors faced near extinction, but captive breeding has helped boost their population. Père David's deer, also known as milu in their native range, are large, stocky deer that thrive in cold, seasonally flooded conditions. With webbed hooves, these strong swimmers are at home in the water, and eat aquatic plants and grasses. Unlike other deer, their antlers have a front branch as large or larger than the rear-pointing one. Once extinct in the wild in their native China, the species survived in an imperial preserve in Beijing until it was destroyed by floods in the 19th century. The surviving deer were hunted and killed for food. French missionary Père Armand David had previously exported several of the deer to Europe, where a breeding program was established, and the species was saved. The deer were reintroduced to China in 1985. The okapi, often called the 'forest giraffe,' is a shy and solitary animal found only in the Ituri Rainforest and other dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Though it resembles a mix between a zebra and a deer, it's actually the giraffe's closest living relative. Its striped rump helps the okapi blend into shafts of sunlight filtering through the trees, and its long, dark, prehensile tongue is perfect for stripping leaves from branches. With a four-chambered stomach and a diet of fruits, leaves, and even clay for minerals, the okapi is uniquely built for life in the rainforest.
