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In the 80s of the last century, a Taiwanese clouded leopard that died in a trap was found, and since then, the clouded leopard has disappeared without a trace as if it had never appeared.
It was not until recent years that the clouded leopard, which had disappeared for nearly 40 years, suddenly took the initiative to appear in the public eye!
While everyone was glad that the species was not extinct, several experts felt that something was wrong.
In particular, the location of the clouded leopard makes experts particularly worried, could it be that Hawking's prediction is really going to come true?
The content of this article is based on reliable sources, and it is repeated at the end of the article, and some of the content is apocryphal.
Vanishing clouded leopard
The clouded leopard is called a clouded leopard because of the cloud-like pattern on its body.
It can be divided into two species, the Sunda clouded leopard (also called the Malay clouded leopard) and the continental clouded leopard. The mainland clouded leopard includes several subspecies such as the Taiwanese clouded leopard and the Nepalese clouded leopard.
They were first discovered and named in 1821 by the British naturalist Edward Griffith.
Although the clouded leopard is not very large, it has a large mouth called a "little saber-toothed tiger". Its 4 canine teeth are 4-7 centimeters long and have a bite force of up to 360 pounds, which is more powerful than the huge snow leopard.
This makes the clouded leopard, despite its docile appearance, a ferocious predator.
The clouded leopard has a charming pattern on its body, which resembles a cloud floating, and the dark and light lines are in stark contrast. This beautiful appearance makes it look more like a variant of a large domestic cat.
But don't be fooled by its petite appearance, the clouded leopard is the most primitive and mysterious of the felines, but it is a fierce hunter.
On the mainland, the clouded leopard has a fairly wide range, and it can be found in Tibet, western and southern regions. However, due to overhunting, their numbers have plummeted.
At present, the clouded leopard is a protected animal in Malaysia, India and other countries, and is also listed as a first-class protected animal in the mainland.
The last two reliable sightings of this creature were recorded in the 80s of the last century.
One was when a young clouded leopard was found innocently dead in a hunting trap, and the other was a freshly stripped leopard skin.
Since then, the clouded leopard seems to have disappeared completely.
However, in recent years, some people have been pleasantly surprised to find that the clouded leopard has finally reappeared!
A clouded leopard reappeared
This time it appeared in Liuyang City, Hunan Province, where staff from the local Forestry Bureau found footprints of suspected clouded leopards while patrolling.
After on-site investigation and expert confirmation, it was confirmed that these footprints indeed belonged to clouded leopards!
Based on the distribution and number of footprints, it is estimated that there are about 20 clouded leopards active in the area.
While the reappearance of clouded leopards is a cause for rejoicing, the habitat they have chosen is a little unsettling.
Traditionally, clouded leopards prefer to choose low and mid-mountain areas around 2,000 meters above sea level, where there is plenty of food and shelter.
However, these clouded leopard tracks occur in the alpine regions of the Himalayas at an altitude of 3,500 meters, completely out of their suitability.
According to expert analysis, the appearance of clouded leopards at such high altitudes is likely to be the result of global warming.
It stands to reason that clouded leopards mainly inhabit the pristine evergreen forests of subtropical and tropical mountains and hills, and are very selective about their habitat selection.
They prefer closed forests with plenty of rainfall, dense forests, and humid environments, which not only provide them with adequate shelter, but also help them find enough prey.
But as temperatures rise, the climate at lower altitudes becomes drier, and food and water sources are reduced, forcing clouded leopards to migrate to higher and colder places in search of food and shelter.
This undoubtedly poses a great challenge to the survival of these creatures, because the lack of oxygen and the cold climate at high altitudes make it difficult to meet their survival needs.
Many people believe that Liuyang City, Hunan Province, is located in the Luoxiao Mountains, which is not the Himalayas at all, but in fact, the two have a deep relationship.
One of the main reasons for the formation of the Luoxiao Mountains is because of the orogeny of the Himalayas, so it is not an exaggeration to say that it is in the Himalayan region.
Perhaps Hawking's prophecy is coming true?
The clouded leopard's unusual migration is a case in which global warming is impacting ecosystems.
Climate change is not only changing the habitat of organisms, but also forcing them to make difficult physiological and behavioral adjustments.
If the situation continues to deteriorate, it will pose a greater threat to the survival of rare species such as clouded leopards.
Therefore, the conservation of clouded leopards is not only a need to protect species diversity, but also an important issue for human beings to cope with climate change.
We should take immediate action to slow the pace of climate change and save a suitable home for the clouded leopards. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the protection of clouded leopards and increase their populations so that this beautiful animal never disappears from our world.
In addition to threatening biological homes, climate warming also poses a serious challenge to humanity itself.
With the continuous increase of greenhouse gases and the frequent occurrence of extreme weather, the rising global temperature is leading to a series of adverse consequences such as the melting of glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctica, rising sea levels, and increasing desertification.
Even the revered physicist Stephen Hawking, in his last prophecy, warned that "unless humanity acts quickly to reduce environmental damage, the earth will become a fireball".
This prophecy seems to be coming true step by step.
In the Himalayas, for example, glaciers have been melting at an accelerated rate in recent years due to rising temperatures, threatening the habitat of clouded leopards and other wildlife, as well as putting enormous pressure on the survival of hundreds of millions of people in the region.
The greenhouse gases released by the melting of snow and ice will further exacerbate the deterioration of the global climate, forming an extremely vicious circle.
It can be said that global warming has become the biggest challenge that threatens life on earth and even human beings themselves.
If we do not take decisive and forceful action, Mr. Hawking's prophecy will be fulfilled, and the earth, the home that we have nurtured in Bo, will inevitably lead to destruction.
So, why did the clouded leopard disappear from people's sight in the first place? Is it really just because of global warming?
The reason for the disappearance of the clouded leopard
This starts with the habits of the clouded leopard.
In the animal kingdom, the clouded leopard is definitely a unique one.
As the "face responsible" among felines,
Their slender figures, brown or gray bodies with large black markings evenly distributed, large soles of feet, and long tails almost the length of their bodies are very beautiful.
As for the typical "big cat" look, it is the incomparable charm of the clouded leopard.
Of course, in addition to their outstanding appearance, the most striking thing about clouded leopards is their sharp canine teeth.
It is said that among the existing cats, the clouded leopard has the longest proportion of canine teeth on its skull.
This pair of "sharp teeth" not only gives the clouded leopard an advantage when hunting, but also makes them known as the "little saber-toothed tiger", which shows the strong nature of the predators of this creature.
Their long canine teeth are so sharp that they can bite through the cervical vertebrae of their prey in a single bite, killing them efficiently and brutally.
In addition to this, the clouded leopard's diet is also very extensive, from small birds and rodents, to large ungulates, which may be their lunch.
As the "elf of the trees", the clouded leopard has a unique skill in arboreal life.
They have excellent climbing and moving skills in trees, with short, strong limbs and wide soles that allow them to move easily on tree trunks and branches.
The clouded leopard's unique "head-down" way of walking makes it easy for them to navigate through the forest.
In the confined and densely wooded tropical rainforest, clouded leopards rarely go out into the ground, and they spend their days foraging and resting in the canopy.
With its excellent grip and jumping ability, the clouded leopard can move freely from tree canopy.
Once they find their prey, they will rely on their excellent eyesight and quick reflexes to jump down and pounce on the prey.
However, even with such excellent predatory skills, the clouded leopard's living environment is shrinking.
As human activities continue to expand, their habitats are deteriorating, and entire populations are threatened with extinction.
Clouded leopards are at risk of extinction
The main causes are divided into their own causes and man-made sabotage.
First of all, the clouded leopard's own limited reproductive capacity has become the main reason why it is difficult to replenish their population.
In general, clouded leopard females can only conceive once a year, and the number of litters is not very large, and the cubs born need to be nursed for a longer period of time to grow.
These characteristics greatly limit the speed of reproduction of clouded leopards, making it difficult for their populations to expand rapidly in a short period of time.
Secondly, human greed and uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources are also important reasons for the continuous deterioration of the living environment of clouded leopards.
We all know that the beautiful fur of the clouded leopard was once coveted by many people, and it was hunted in large quantities to make expensive fur.
In addition, the teeth and bones of clouded leopards are often made into ornaments or traditional Chinese medicine materials.
Faced with this situation, the survival of the clouded leopards becomes precarious.
Despite the protection of the law, illegal activities such as poaching and illegal logging continue to be prohibited, leaving clouded leopards homeless.
Due to the continuous deterioration of the living environment, including climate change, deforestation, illegal hunting and other factors, the habitat of clouded leopards is shrinking, food sources and range are also decreasing, and the population is declining, and the risk of extinction is increasing day by day.
In fact, as a panda and other rare and protected animals of the country, the clouded leopard also deserves more attention and care.
The most troublesome thing is that clouded leopards cannot be well kept in captivity.
Because the clouded leopard is a very solitary animal by nature.
They usually operate alone and have an extremely strong sense of sovereignty over their territory. Once other people of the same kind break into their own territory, they will definitely fight each other, and you will live and die.
This monopoly makes it difficult for clouded leopards to live peacefully with other individuals in a small artificial environment.
Secondly, the clouded leopard is an animal that needs "you and me" to complete mating. They are not like some other animals, where males and females can mate and reproduce naturally as long as they are kept together.
Instead, clouded leopards are preceded by a series of complex "courtship rituals" that can only be accomplished if both partners have a good heart.
In an artificial environment, it is difficult to meet this particular mating need.
Clouded leopard females are also extremely cautious and protective when raising their young. They will show extreme hostility towards any "outsider" who comes near their cubs in order to protect their offspring.
In an artificial environment, if people are often approaching, it is easy to trigger the attack behavior of clouded leopards, causing unnecessary casualties.
However, despite the difficulties, we should not abandon this option entirely.
To protect the clouded leopard is to protect ourselves
Rather than allowing the clouded leopard to go extinct, it is obviously a smarter and wiser way to save and maintain the survival of this species through special captivity.
We still need to make unremitting efforts, with the support of science and technology, biology and other fields, to explore more humane and professional artificial domestication methods, so as to make a way for the endangered species of clouded leopard.
Of course, it is not enough to rely on captivity alone, we also need to protect the clouded leopard's natural habitat from the roots, curb illegal poaching and deforestation, and ensure that they can survive and thrive in their original homeland.
In a sense, protecting clouded leopards is protecting ourselves.
This creature is not only an indispensable and important member of the tropical rainforest ecosystem, but also the protector of the human environment.
Let's take action, defend the beautiful life with practical actions, defend the beautiful home of the earth, and win the chance for the clouded leopard to survive!
Information sources:
The surging news - "Netizen Huangshan Travel photographed an unknown animal: the whole body is yellow, and the body is very large... Clouded leopard? Orange cat? 》
National Forestry and Grassland Administration – "Jungle Hermit - Clouded Leopard"
Hot News - "Strange things continue to happen in the Himalayas, extinct species suddenly appear, but scientists from all over the world are panicking? 》
Huashang.com - "Is Shaanxi Clouded Leopard Okay? The last time I found it was 20 years ago, but unfortunately it was hunted.
The surging news - "[Drink a river water] Dehong has a "big cat", its name is clouded leopard"
The Paper - "Where is the clouded leopard in China? You can count it on one hand."