Published March 2, 2011 A camera trap has caught one of the
world's most elusive cats on film for the first time,
conservationists say. The Sundaland clouded leopard—only
identified as its own species in 2007—was spotted recently in
Indonesia's Berbak National Park on the island of Sumatra (see
map), according to the Zoological Society London (ZSL).
Previously the cat was believed to be of the same species as the
mainland clouded leopard. "This footage is further evidence of
the rich wildlife found in Berbak National Park, and is yet
another reason why it [is] essential that a conservation plan is
put in place for the long-term protection of these forests,"
ZSL's Sarah Christie said in a statement. The new video shows
one of the predator's unique adaptations to treetop living—a
long tail that ensures balance on branches. (Learn more about
National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative.) The cat also relies
on long claws and highly flexible ankles to scramble among the
trees—and even shimmy down tree trunks like a