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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: AngelesCrestHighway

Good comparison.


61 posted on 03/23/2010 7:07:46 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: calex59

So that would be the “Little Deuce Coupe with the flathead mill?”


62 posted on 03/23/2010 7:18:12 PM PDT by oprahstheantichrist (The MSM is a demonic stronghold, PLEASE pray accordingly - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
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To: JoeProBono

What a beautiful and exotic looking cat. My two “kids” are feeling jealous.


63 posted on 03/23/2010 7:31:29 PM PDT by LiberConservative
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To: bert
"It looks like a common bird killer to me.

The less the better"

I agree! The damned things are always crapping on my cars and causing paint damage.

(You DID mean birds when you said "The less the better", right?)

64 posted on 03/23/2010 7:32:39 PM PDT by Nik Naym (My new business plan : open a chain of stores that sell hot tar, feathers, rope, and lamp posts.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

That’s a pomelo-skin helmet, not a lime.

FYI, I had to load IE to see it because it shows a flash screen “FunnyChill.com” in Firefox.


65 posted on 03/24/2010 4:21:51 AM PDT by TheOldLady (Tagline missing -- please help.)
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To: Josh Painter

Fumors = Feline + Rumors, right?


66 posted on 03/24/2010 4:25:24 AM PDT by TheOldLady (Tagline missing -- please help.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

What’s an environmentalist wacko to do?


67 posted on 03/24/2010 4:30:34 AM PDT by TheOldLady (Tagline missing -- please help.)
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To: TheOldLady

I’ve never heard of the pomelo but I looked it up and found out it is related to the grapefruit. It seems to be popular in SE Asia.

I’ve never seen a pic do that before and I have no idea why.


68 posted on 03/24/2010 5:40:22 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine
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To: bolobaby

Thanks for this bolobaby. Exactly, this world has been evolving for a gazzillion years, species have died out to make way for stronger, better. Human beings are not the most competent judges of such having come onto the scene the last 15 seconds figuratively.

God knows best what he is doing! LOL


69 posted on 03/24/2010 6:22:22 AM PDT by Uversabound (Our Military past and present: Our Highest example of Brotherhood of Man & Doing God's Will)
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To: Uversabound

Oh, and no Monty Python fans here??

Flat-headed is a British insult.

As in Bird brained, Flat-headed....


70 posted on 03/24/2010 6:26:50 AM PDT by Uversabound (Our Military past and present: Our Highest example of Brotherhood of Man & Doing God's Will)
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To: Jack Hydrazine
I’ve never heard of the pomelo but I looked it up and found out it is related to the grapefruit. It seems to be popular in SE Asia.

It's a late-fall fruit here, and we usually get a few just before Christmas. The skins can be dried and used as potpourri.

I’ve never seen a pic do that before and I have no idea why.

All the sites aren't compatible with Firefox 3.6 yet, I think. I see this all the time. If a picture doesn't show or shows a flash screen, I just get the URL from the properties and open it in IE.

71 posted on 03/24/2010 7:19:24 AM PDT by TheOldLady (Tagline missing -- please help.)
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To: JoeProBono

Sorry Joe, my give-a-damn is busted right now, maybe later.


72 posted on 03/24/2010 7:24:36 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: GraceG

“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.”

Without my input, my wife and daughter got a Chihuahua. I decided to go along, to get along. (I never liked little dogs very much).

Three years later, our 3.5 lb. Chi-dog is my buddy. He can be a lot of fun, and we enjoy him, trouble and all.

A lot less food, poop, piss, and dog hair!!

He would go great with a 2 lb. adult cat.


73 posted on 04/15/2010 3:54:48 PM PDT by truth_seeker
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To: GovernmentShrinker

“...cats re-feralize easily and quickly...”

It is not measured in days, weeks or months; but in meals skipped.

My wife likes to make a project out of redomesticating them, which is not so easy.


74 posted on 04/15/2010 4:01:14 PM PDT by truth_seeker
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