Camera traps in Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo have captured a Bornean clouded leopard mother and her two cubs wandering through a forest.
It's the first time a family of these endangered leopards has been caught on camera in the wild, according staff from the Orangutan Foundation who placed camera traps throughout the forest to learn more about the elusive species.
Bornean clouded leopards have grey fur, a bold double dorsal stripe and distinct spots that sit within the 'cloud' markings. They are Borneo's largest predators and play a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem, says Anxious Yoga Perdana, research manager at the Orangutan Foundation.
The species is listed as endangered and its population decreasing, with deforestation one of the main threats to the species, according to the Orangutan Foundation.
Perdana says that the new footage gives researchers hope that Bornean clouded leopards are still successfully reproducing. "Being able to see a female and cubs gives us evidence that they are healthy and actively breeding,"
The Bornean clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi borneensis) is one of two subspecies of Sunda clouded leopard in Indonesia. The other, which lives on the island of Sumatra, is the Sumatran clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi diardi).
Main image: Bornean clouded leopard exploring the forest in Indonesian Borneo. Credit: Orangutan Foundation
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