Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Second Start for a Cloud Leopoard

The Formosa Cloud Leopard was hunted to extinction by the 1980s in Taiwan (Taiwan and Formosa are, essentially, different names for the same Chinese island).  Since the 1980s, the Taiwan government has been seriously working on reforestation and habitat conservation.
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It is now estimated the the island could support 500 - 600 cloud leopards.
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The good news is that Formosa Cloud Leopard is not a distinctive sub-species and so the mainland cloud leopard can be used for re-introduction.
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Why do this?  I mean, in the big scheme of things, what difference does it make?  Probably none.
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But in the little scheme of things, in the efforts of people how have tried conservation, it is a huge thing.  It is the North American Bison on the plains, it is the California Condor floating on thermals.  It is humans being good custodians of the planet, either because it makes us happy or it is God's direction (depending on your motivation).
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It is great.