The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has made available exclusive rare footage of the critically endangered Javan leopards (Panthera pardus melas) in their native habitat in western Java. In May this year camera traps placed in Gunung Halimun-Salak National Park (Java, Indonesia) captured striking, high-quality images of these elusive, enigmatic creatures in the wild as part of a research project to help monitor wildlife in an area less than 100 kilometers outside of Jakarta.
After this footage of the CIFOR research to monitor declining leopard populations in West Java was released, Terry Sutherland, senior scientist with CIFOR, said:
“New programs or policies aimed at protecting wild animals will have little impact unless they actually monitor the territories and behavioural patterns of key species.”
As Indonesia’s national parks face threats from deforestation and human encroachment, it’s vital that tigers, leopards and other large mammals be monitored as part of conservation efforts — otherwise clashes with people will intensify, Sutherland warned.
It is hoped that the images, which include other elusive species, such as barking deer, small-clawed otter and common palm civet, will provide the national park with vital data to better understand leopard home ranges in order to develop policies aimed at reducing human wildlife conflict.
For more information read the Forest News blog.
(Source: CIFOR press release, 22.05.2013; CIFOR Forest News blog, 22.05.2013)
