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Flat-headed cat, the world's least known feline, is now endangered
mnn ^ | Mar 23 2010 | Bryan Nelson

Posted on 03/23/2010 12:15:57 PM PDT by JoeProBono

If you believe the myth that all cats hate getting wet, then you've yet to meet the flat-headed cat. With webbed feet and a streamlined head perfectly adapted for speed in the water, these strange felines not only like the water, they practically live in it. They are also recognized as the world's least known feline.

And unfortunately, they may remain mysterious. According to National Geographic, a new study published in the journal PLoS ONE has indicated that the flat-headed cat's habitat is rapidly being transformed into vast biofuel plantations.

Native to the swampy peat forests of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, the cats are nocturnal, elusive, tiny (they typically weigh between 3-5 pounds) and difficult to observe. There are also only two flat-headed cats in captivity anywhere in the world — both in zoos in Malaysia — so little is known about them.

To get an idea of how their population was faring, researchers pieced together scattered records of flat-headed cat sightings since 1984. They also developed a computer model to predict how the cat's historical population and distribution might be effected by modern changes to their habitat.

What they found was shocking. Almost 70 percent of the area that historically provided good habitats for the flat-headed cat has already been converted into plantations, mostly for the purpose of growing biofuel.

(Excerpt) Read more at mnn.com ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: alinskyscat; andreaswilting; bryannelson; carbontax; cat; catkitties; energy; feline; flatheadedcat; indonesia; irony; jpb; kenyanbornmuzzie; kittyping; leftistagitprop; leibnizinstitute; malaysia; mothernaturenetwork; opec; thailand
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To: JoeProBono

“The flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), also called the yellow cat, opelousas, and shovelhead cat, are large North American freshwater catfish. This is the only species of the genus Pylodictis. Ranging from the lower Great Lakes region to northern Mexico, they have been widely introduced and are an invasive species in some areas.

Their native range includes a broad area west of the Appalachian Mountains encompassing large rivers of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio basins. The range extends as far north as North Dakota, as far west as Arizona, and south to the Gulf of Mexico including northeastern Mexico.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flathead_catfish


21 posted on 03/23/2010 12:34:11 PM PDT by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: JoeProBono
If you believe the myth that all cats hate getting wet...

Faulty premise, right there. Tigers love water.

22 posted on 03/23/2010 12:35:32 PM PDT by Hoffer Rand (There ARE two Americas: "God's children" and the tax payers)
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To: Vaquero
I lost a barn cat who like to sleep on top of a flat head Ford. Interesting sound effect at start up.

"Jes cold, I reckon...." smoothed right, out though.

23 posted on 03/23/2010 12:36:23 PM PDT by Kenny Bunk (Obama. He'll bring back States' Rights. In the meantime, this ain't gonna be pretty.)
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To: JoeProBono

save the kitties! drill in the ANWR instead!
Global warming caused by friction of enviros’ internal conflicts!


24 posted on 03/23/2010 12:36:57 PM PDT by married21
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To: JoeProBono

Cool looking cat. Esp with the Lemur like eyes.


25 posted on 03/23/2010 12:37:01 PM PDT by Clock King (There's no way to fix D.C.)
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To: JoeProBono
What they found was shocking. Almost 70 percent of the area that historically provided good habitats for the flat-headed cat has already been converted into plantations, mostly for the purpose of growing biofuel.

The writer can't bring himself to take the next logical step, which is that, um, DRILLING FOR OIL would have been actually better for the environment.

26 posted on 03/23/2010 12:43:36 PM PDT by denydenydeny ("I'm sure this goes against everything you've been taught, but right and wrong do exist"-Dr House)
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To: JoeProBono
... BEST KNOWN FLAT HEADED CAT
27 posted on 03/23/2010 12:47:12 PM PDT by Waverunner ( "Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so too." Voltaire)
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To: JoeProBono

Obviously a victim of too many damn pancakes loaded on its poor little head.


28 posted on 03/23/2010 12:48:03 PM PDT by Attention Surplus Disorder (Voters who thought their ship came in with 0bama are on their own Titanic.)
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To: Banjoguy

flathead v8


29 posted on 03/23/2010 12:50:54 PM PDT by When do we get liberated? (STATE CONTROLLED ECONOMIES SUCK ! LONG LIVE AMERICA.)
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To: JoeProBono
Looks very much like a miniature, flat-headed Asian leopard cat. These are the wild cats used in the breed Bengals. Here is a Bengal:

We had one. He was a great pet.

30 posted on 03/23/2010 12:52:42 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: RichInOC

Looks like a cat and a red panda had a drunken tryst and this was the result. Beautiful creature. Sad that its endangered.


31 posted on 03/23/2010 12:56:01 PM PDT by rintense (Only dead fish go with the flow, which explains why Congress stinks.)
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To: JoeProBono; SpinnerWebb

32 posted on 03/23/2010 12:56:13 PM PDT by tx_eggman
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To: JoeProBono

33 posted on 03/23/2010 12:58:01 PM PDT by rintense (Only dead fish go with the flow, which explains why Congress stinks.)
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To: Vaquero

34 posted on 03/23/2010 12:58:19 PM PDT by Ignatz (Helping others to be more like me since 1960!)
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To: Hoffer Rand

So do Turkish Vans. We had one that loved to swim in the tub. I also had a regular old tiger cat that loved swimming in the tub too.


35 posted on 03/23/2010 12:59:37 PM PDT by rintense (Only dead fish go with the flow, which explains why Congress stinks.)
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To: JoeProBono

Cool cat. What a shame.


36 posted on 03/23/2010 1:01:22 PM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Hoffer Rand

Turkish Van cats swim.


37 posted on 03/23/2010 1:01:48 PM PDT by fatnotlazy (Never forget!)
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To: JoeProBono

Sell them as pets—the numbers will increase.


38 posted on 03/23/2010 1:03:49 PM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: ShadowAce

Dmesitcation is a sure fire way to prevent extinction, for soem fo the larger endangered animals we will have to do some selective brreding to breed them small. If we can take a wolf and turn it into a tiny teapot poodle, we can take an elephant and breed it into smething as small as a dog, who wouldn’t like a miniature elephant to stamp around their house, more useful than a pot bellied pig, that is for sure.


39 posted on 03/23/2010 1:08:01 PM PDT by GraceG
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To: JoeProBono

“Fumors that this feline got its name from being repeatedly hit over the head in cartoons by militant mice wielding iron skillets are not true.”

- JP


40 posted on 03/23/2010 1:24:03 PM PDT by Josh Painter ("We cannot spare this woman. She fights" - David Karki, regarding Sarah Palin)
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