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In Pictures: rare cats of Borneo

Sundaland clouded leopard filmed in the wild (picture courtesy of A wilting and A Mohamed)

Scientists working in the Dermakot Forest Reserve in Malaysia have snapped one of the world's most elusive cats, the Sundaland clouded leopard, which was only discovered in 2006. This lone cat approached a vehicle and seemed unperturbed by the spotlight.

Bornean bay cat (Photo courtesy of A Wilting and A Mohamed)

Camera traps set up by the Conservation of Carnivores in Sabah project have revealed other rare cats in the region, such as this Bornean bay cat, only rediscovered by science in Sarawak in 1992.

Marbled cat (photo courtesy of A Wilting and A Mohamed)

The marbled cat is one of five feline species now known to live in the Dermakot Forest Reserve, in Sabah, Malaysia. Researchers have only encountered marbled cats twice during night surveys, possibly because the cats prefer to live up trees.

Flatheaded cat (photo courtesy of A Wilting and A Mohamed)

The flatheaded cat is a highly specialised cat, restricted to lowland forests and wetlands, those areas which have the highest destruction rates in Asia. Just a few camera-trap photos of wild flatheaded cats exist.

Leopard cat (photo courtesy of A Wilting and A Mohamed)

Leopard cats are more common in the region, but even so, very few people get to see one in the wild. The diversity of cats living in the reserve highlights the importance of preserving it, says project leader Andreas Witling of the Leibniz Institute.

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