An animal that has been extinct for 40 years suddenly 'reappears': Instead of being happy, scientists are scared!

What scares scientists when an animal species "reappears" after 4 decades of being thought extinct?

The animal we are talking about is the  Sunda Clouded Leopard  (scientific name: Neofelis diardi).

Image of a Sunda clouded leopard. (Source: Johannes Pfleiderer/Biolib).

In the 1980s, Taiwanese people found a dead Sunda clouded leopard in a trap. Since then, the species has disappeared as if it had never been seen. It was only in recent years that the clouded leopard, which had disappeared for more than 40 years in China, suddenly reappeared.

However, instead of being happy that this species is not yet extinct, scientists in this country feel worried and scared. Especially the location where the Sunda clouded leopard appears makes experts especially concerned. Why? Has Stephen Hawking's prediction come true?

The ferocious hunter of the jungle

The Sunda clouded leopard is also known as the clouded leopard because of its cloud-like markings on its body. It belongs to the genus Neofilia, which includes two species found only in Asia : the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) of mainland Southeast Asia; and the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi).

This wild cat lives in dense forests from the foothills of the Himalayas through mainland Southeast Asia into southern China.

The first Sunda clouded leopard known to science was brought to Exeter Exchange Zoo in London (UK) from Guangdong province, China in the early 19th century, and was named and described by British naturalist Edward Griffith in 1821. 

Size comparison of the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) with humans. (Photo: Travelforwildlife).

Accordingly, their fur has large patches of dark gray mixed with irregular spots and stripes that form a cloud pattern. Its head and body length ranges from 68.6 to 108 cm with a tail length of 61 to 91 cm, weighing from 11 to 25 kg. The Sunda clouded leopard uses its tail to maintain balance when moving in trees and can climb down vertical tree trunks head first. It rests in trees during the day and hunts at night in the forest.

Neofelis clouded leopards were the first cat species to diverge genetically from their common felid ancestor 9.32–4.47 million years ago. Several million years ago, they reached Sundaland, where they diverged from another species, the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi), 2.0–0.93 million years ago. It was not until 2006 that the Sunda clouded leopard was identified as a separate species of Neofelis.

Biologists call the Sunda clouded leopard the "modern saber-toothed tiger" because it has the longest fangs in proportion to its skull. (Photo: Animalia).

The Sunda clouded leopard, although not very large in body size, has a large mouth like a 'small saber-toothed tiger' . Its four canines are 4-7 cm long and its bite is quite strong, stronger than that of the giant snow leopard (Panthera uncia) . Among living cats, the Sunda clouded leopard has the longest canine tooth to skull ratio.

Their long fangs are extremely sharp and can pierce through the neck vertebrae of their prey in a single bite, killing their prey efficiently and brutally. In addition, the diet of the Sunda clouded leopard is also very diverse. From small birds and rodents to large ungulates can become their lunch.

This makes the Sunda clouded leopard, despite its docile appearance, a ferocious predator in the wild. That is why biologists call the Sunda clouded leopard the "modern saber-toothed tiger".

Reappearance in China after 40 years of disappearance

The Sunda clouded leopard occurs from the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan and India to Myanmar, southeastern Bangladesh, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, to the south of the Yangtze River in China. 

According to the IUCN survey, the number of Sunda clouded leopards worldwide in 2015 was only about 4,500 individuals. The trend is gradually decreasing in number and no population has more than 1,000 mature individuals living in concentration.

As a result, the Sunda clouded leopard is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. This population is threatened by widespread deforestation and commercial poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.

Sunda clouded leopards are hunted for their teeth, claws, and skin, which are used for ornaments and clothing; for their bones and meat, which can be used as substitutes for tigers in traditional Asian medicines and tonics; and for the small clouded leopards that are captured alive, which are traded as pets.

Due to massive hunting, this species was confirmed extinct in Singapore and Taiwan (China) since around 1990. Therefore, the discovery of the Sunda clouded leopard appearing in Taiwan (China) after nearly 40 years of extinction made scientists extremely surprised but also scared. 

Stunning photos of the Sunda clouded leopard. (Source: Animalia).

Chinese experts are concerned about the location where the Sunda clouded leopard was discovered: the high mountains of the Himalayas.

According to traditional knowledge, Sunda clouded leopards prefer to choose mountainous areas with medium to low altitudes, around 2,000 meters, where food sources are abundant and the environment is deserted.

However, the Sunda clouded leopard tracks appeared in the high mountain region of the Himalayas at an altitude of 3,500 meters, completely out of their proper environment.

Experts say the appearance of Sunda leopards in such high altitude areas  could be a result of global warming.

There is a reason why clouded leopards live mainly in primary evergreen forests in tropical and subtropical mountains and hills, and are very selective in their choice of habitat. They prefer closed forests with adequate rainfall, dense vegetation, and humid environments. This environment not only provides them with enough shelter but also helps them find enough prey.

However, as global temperatures rise, the climate in low-altitude areas becomes drier and food and water resources decrease, forcing the species to migrate to higher and colder places in search of food and shelter.

This certainly poses a huge challenge to the survival of these creatures, because areas at such high altitudes are often low in oxygen and have cold climates that make it difficult to meet their long-term survival needs.

Could Stephen Hawking's prediction come true?

The Sunda clouded leopard's unusual migration is an example of how global warming is having a profound impact on ecosystems. Climate change not only alters the habitats of creatures, but also forces them to make difficult physiological and behavioral adjustments.

If the situation continues to worsen, it will pose an even greater threat to the survival of rare species such as the clouded leopard.

Therefore, protecting clouded leopards is not only a need to protect species diversity but also an important issue for humans to respond to climate change.

In addition to threatening biological habitats, global warming also poses serious challenges to humans themselves.

As greenhouse gases (GHGs such as CO2, Methane.) continue to increase and extreme weather events become more frequent, rising global temperatures are leading to a series of negative consequences such as the continued melting of glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctic, rising sea levels and increasing desertification.

Even the famous and respected British physicist Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) warned in his final prediction: "If humans do not act quickly to minimize damage to the environment and climate, the Earth will become a fireball."

This prediction seems to be coming true.

Taking the Himalayas as an example, as temperatures continue to rise in recent years, local glaciers have accelerated their melting, which not only threatens the habitat of wildlife such as the Sunda clouded leopard, but also puts enormous pressure on the survival of hundreds of millions of species as well as local people.

Greenhouse gases released by melting ice and snow (permafrost can release CO2 ₎ will exacerbate global climate change, creating an extremely dangerous vicious cycle.

It can be said that global warming has become the biggest challenge currently threatening life on Earth and even humanity itself.

If we do not take decisive and strong actions, Stephen Hawking's prediction will eventually come true, and the Earth, the home that has nurtured us, will surely be in danger.