New Cat Species, Clouded Leopard, Found in Borneo

Scientists say that the clouded leopard, found on the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra, is an entirely new species of cat. This rainforest animal, first scientifically described in 1821, was originally believed to be the same species as the clouded leopards in mainland Southeast Asia. However, recent DNA results indicate the two cats are a completely different species and researchers say the Borneo population likely diverged from the mainland population some 1.4 million years ago.

A recent report from the World Wildlife Fund showed that scientists had identified at least 52 new species of animals and plants over the past year on Borneo. The global conservation organization says these repeated findings show how crucial it is to conserve the habitat and species of the world’s third-largest island.

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