New species of leopard

Pardalis

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Just when you think these creatures couldn't get any more gorgeous.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070315075842.htm
http://www.999today.com/scienceandnature/news/story/8662.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/03/070315-leopard-picture.html

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That is one gorgeous cat! I sometimes sadly wonder if it would have been better to not report new species. What good can come of it?
 
Slimething said:
That is one gorgeous cat! I sometimes sadly wonder if it would have been better to not report new species. What good can come of it?
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Well it's not a newly discovered species as such, it's a newly *defined* species. According to this site, it has been 50 years since the taxonomy of the species was last revised.

The current "discovery" is merely a confirmation by DNA of the species taxonomy. As the NG article states,
"The clouded leopard of the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra is its own unique species, according to genetic test results announced yesterday by WWF, the international conservation organization (Indonesia map showing Borneo and Sumatra). Until now the cat was believed to be of the same species as the mainland clouded leopard."

That's not to say that it isn't a beautiful animal.
 
Sometimes I sit and watch my three cats doing their cat thing, and I feel outclassed. "Ugly hairless ape! Where do you get off, pretending to be Lord of Creation?"

And that's just domestic kitty katz.
 
This reminds me of the king cheetah. But it ended up very differently, as the King cheetah happens to be a mutation within the species, which has a very peculiar and interesting history too.
 
My God (or lack thereof) what a beautiful cat.

I agree Slimething - it would be increadibly tragic for someone to make a coat out of an animal like that. Personally (and I know I'm extreme for thinking this way), I put more value in an animal like that than in most of the people walking the streets. That may be just emotion talking, and the cat may not be able to voice it's opinion (or even have one) on the matter, and I certainly wouldn't want to meet one, alone in the jungle, but so it goes.

But I am glad it's been 'discovered'. New science always excites me, and maybe it can help with conservation efforts.
 
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