PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Elusive bay cat caught on camera

First time 5 species of wild cat spotted in a Borneo forest

2013-11-05
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Smita Singh
smita.singh@zsl.org
020-744-96288
Zoological Society of London
Elusive bay cat caught on camera First time 5 species of wild cat spotted in a Borneo forest The world's least known cat has been caught on camera in a previously unsurveyed rainforest by scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Imperial College London.

Until now, the bay cat (Pardofelis badia) had been recorded on camera traps just a handful of times in its Borneo forest home and was only photographed in the wild for the first time in 2003. But more images of this animal have been captured than ever before, together with evidence of four other wild cat species, in a heavily logged area of forest where they were not expected to thrive.

This is only one of four forest areas in all of Borneo – the third largest island in the world - which has so far been reported to have all five species, including the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) and marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata).

ZSL and Imperial College London PhD researcher Oliver Wearn says: "We discovered that randomly placed cameras have a big influence on the species recorded. This is something I was taught in school – I remember doing a project on which plant species were most abundant on our playing field, and being taught to fling quadrats over my shoulder in a random direction before seeing what plants lay within it, rather than placing it somewhere that looked like a good place to put it – the same principle applies here."

Camera traps have transformed how information is collected for many species of mammals and birds, including some of the most charismatic species in existence, like tigers. Many of these species are exceedingly good at spotting, and avoiding, conservationists who spend time in the field seeking them. Camera traps, on the other hand, sit silently in the forest often working for months on end come rain or shine.

Oliver Wearn added: "The cameras record multiple sightings, sometimes of species which we might be very lucky to see even after spending years in an area. For example, I've seen the clouded leopard just twice in three years of fieldwork, whilst my cameras recorded 14 video sequences of this enigmatic cat in just eight months."

All five cat species mentioned are charismatic and important components of the forest ecosystems, and predators of a wide range of other animals. They are also highly-threatened: four of the five species are listed as threatened with global extinction on the IUCN Red List. Almost nothing is known about the habits of the mysterious bay cat, but it is thought to be at risk of extinction due to widespread loss of its habitat on Borneo.

Dr Robert Ewers from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial College London, leads the SAFE tropical forest conservation project in Borneo, where the bay cats were seen. He says: "We were completely surprised to see so many bay cats at these sites in Borneo where natural forests have been so heavily logged for the timber trade. Conservationists used to assume that very few wild animals can live in logged forest, but we now know this land can be home for many endangered species.

"Our study today shows solid evidence that even large carnivores, such as these magnificent bay cats, can survive in commercially logged forests," Dr Ewers added.

ZSL and Imperial College London conservationists will continue to study the effects of logging on wildlife populations, looking more broadly than just the highly charismatic cats, towards other mammal species, both large and small. More detailed work aims to gather the information palm oil producers need to make their plantations more mammal-friendly, and assess whether saving patches of forest within such areas might be a viable option for saving Borneo's mammals.

### Editors' Notes



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New strep throat risk score brings patient data and big data together to potentially reduce unnecess

2013-11-05
New strep throat risk score brings patient data and big data together to potentially reduce unnecess Boston, Mass., November 4, 2013 –A new risk measure called a "home score" could save a patient with symptoms of strep throat a trip to the doctor, ...

Race and romance online

2013-11-05
Race and romance online Study of internet dating suggests racial barriers can be overcome Usually, research findings on the state of U.S. race relations are pretty bleak. But a study of online dating by UC San Diego sociologist Kevin Lewis suggests ...

Overhaul of medical education to address primary care physician shortage recommended by national panel

2013-11-05
Overhaul of medical education to address primary care physician shortage recommended by national panel Blue Ribbon Commission for the Advancement of Osteopathic Medical Education issues ...

UCSF researchers offer solutions to looming health-care provider shortage

2013-11-05
UCSF researchers offer solutions to looming health-care provider shortage Authors say increasing scope of practice for non-physician health professionals will increase coverage Thanks to a wave of aging baby boomers, epidemics of diabetes ...

Imaging studies may predict tumor response to anti-angiogenic drugs

2013-11-05
Imaging studies may predict tumor response to anti-angiogenic drugs Study confirms that vascular normalization is the way these drugs improve patient survival Advanced imaging techniques may be able to distinguish which patients' tumors will respond ...

Scientists study 'fishy' behavior to solve an animal locomotion mystery

2013-11-05
Scientists study 'fishy' behavior to solve an animal locomotion mystery A quirk of nature has long baffled biologists: Why do animals push in directions that don't point toward their goal, like the side-to-side sashaying of a running lizard or cockroach? An engineer ...

Eating disorders more common in males than realized

2013-11-05
Eating disorders more common in males than realized Broader diagnostic criteria could help identify illness in boys Boston−November 4, 2013 - Parents and doctors assume eating disorders very rarely affect males. However, a study of 5,527 ...

Foreign-educated health workers play vital role in US health system

2013-11-05
Foreign-educated health workers play vital role in US health system Changes may be needed to stabilize workforce Foreign-educated and foreign-born health professionals play a vital role in the U.S. health care workforce, but strategic shifts such as changes in immigration laws ...

Gas injection probably triggered small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas

2013-11-05
Gas injection probably triggered small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas A new study correlates a series of small earthquakes near Snyder, Texas between 2006 and 2011 with the underground injection of large volumes of gas, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) — ...

Brain aging is conclusively linked to genes

2013-11-05
Brain aging is conclusively linked to genes Finding is crucial step in determining normal aging For the first time in a large study sample, the decline in brain function in normal aging is conclusively shown to be influenced by genes, say researchers from ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New perspective highlights urgent need for US physician strike regulations

An eye-opening year of extreme weather and climate

Scientists engineer substrates hostile to bacteria but friendly to cells

New tablet shows promise for the control and elimination of intestinal worms

Project to redesign clinical trials for neurologic conditions for underserved populations funded with $2.9M grant to UTHealth Houston

Depression – discovering faster which treatment will work best for which individual

Breakthrough study reveals unexpected cause of winter ozone pollution

nTIDE January 2025 Jobs Report: Encouraging signs in disability employment: A slow but positive trajectory

Generative AI: Uncovering its environmental and social costs

Lower access to air conditioning may increase need for emergency care for wildfire smoke exposure

Dangerous bacterial biofilms have a natural enemy

Food study launched examining bone health of women 60 years and older

CDC awards $1.25M to engineers retooling mine production and safety

Using AI to uncover hospital patients’ long COVID care needs

$1.9M NIH grant will allow researchers to explore how copper kills bacteria

New fossil discovery sheds light on the early evolution of animal nervous systems

A battle of rafts: How molecular dynamics in CAR T cells explain their cancer-killing behavior

Study shows how plant roots access deeper soils in search of water

Study reveals cost differences between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare patients in cancer drugs

‘What is that?’ UCalgary scientists explain white patch that appears near northern lights

How many children use Tik Tok against the rules? Most, study finds

Scientists find out why aphasia patients lose the ability to talk about the past and future

Tickling the nerves: Why crime content is popular

Intelligent fight: AI enhances cervical cancer detection

Breakthrough study reveals the secrets behind cordierite’s anomalous thermal expansion

Patient-reported influence of sociopolitical issues on post-Dobbs vasectomy decisions

Radon exposure and gestational diabetes

EMBARGOED UNTIL 1600 GMT, FRIDAY 10 JANUARY 2025: Northumbria space physicist honoured by Royal Astronomical Society

Medicare rules may reduce prescription steering

Red light linked to lowered risk of blood clots

[Press-News.org] Elusive bay cat caught on camera
First time 5 species of wild cat spotted in a Borneo forest