It helps to see it if you lighten the photo a bit. It's crouching down behind the leaf and it's eyes are glowing from the flash.
Posted on 12/05/2005 11:35:29 PM PST by dangus
GENEVA (Reuters) - Environmental researchers are preparing to capture what they call a new, mysterious species of carnivore on Borneo, the first such discovery on the wildlife-rich Indonesian island in over a century.
Swiss-based environmental group WWF said on Monday its researchers photographed the strange animal, which looks like a cross between a cat and a fox, in the dense, central mountainous rainforests of Borneo.
"This could be the first time in more than a century that a new carnivore has been discovered on the island," said the WWF in a statement.
The mammal, slightly larger than a cat with red fur and a long tail, was photographed twice by a camera trap at night.
Locals and wildlife experts who viewed photographs of the animal, which has very small ears and large hind legs, said they had never seen such a creature before and were convinced that it was a new species, WWF said.
Researchers hope to confirm the discovery by setting cage traps to catch a live specimen, but warn that Indonesian government plans to clear the rainforest to create the world's largest palm oil plantation may interfere with plans, WWF said.
The proposed plantation scheme, funded by the China Development Bank, is expected to cover an area of 1.8 million hectares, equivalent to about half the size of The Netherlands, said the WWF, formerly known as the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The potential new species of carnivore in Borneo would be the first since the discovery of the Borneo ferret-badger in 1895, the WWF said.
Pictures of the animal were first taken by WWF researchers in 2003, the photos kept unpublished by the WWF as research continued. The WWF decided to make public the photos with the release of a book about Borneo, to be published on Tuesday.
It helps to see it if you lighten the photo a bit. It's crouching down behind the leaf and it's eyes are glowing from the flash.
Looks like a lemur
That's what I thought. Here's a similar mother lemur carrying an offspring:
Long tail, short front legs, large rear legs, triangular ears above large nocturnal eyes, short snout, etc.
This is WWF agenda driven. They could have just as well used the spotted owl.
He's been missing for 2 yrs. But his tail is longer than when he left home maybe that rainforest did it.
Maybe if they start on the Palm oil plantation he'll run back home.
I was thinking the same thing. When I first looked at that picture, the first thing that came to my mind was "That looks like a long-tailed lemur". Which is odd, lemur's generally are tree dwellers, hence the long tail. The large eyes suggest it's a nocturnal creature.
lol
"What are those lights shining out its butt?"
You win FR today!!!
Ah, an oldie, but goodie!
-----I know. I thought it was a baby dinosaur. (just kiddin) but if you look at it from the wrong end, it kinda sorta does. LMAO
CryptoKitty Ping.
Only problem is, Lemurs are thought to be exclusively native to Madagascar..
A BBC article suggests it is a "viverrid" ..
The family that includes civets and mongoose..
Palm Civet
They saw it eating a spotted owl. When they offered it a Boca burger, it ran away.
I would ask the World Wrestling Federation Wildlife Fund what they think of the proposed palm oil plantation. If they generally oppose it (and you can be sure they do, vehemently), why should we believe their easily-phonied-up evidence? After all, they could produce a realistic digital picture of this animal taking food from the hand of John F. Kennedy if they wanted to. Photoshop is a powerful tool.
LOL! that's funny.
Looks sort of like a lemur to me.
Who is to say where this picture was taken other than those who say it is a new creature?
Wonder what they taste like?
One word.....Chupacabra!
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