A Malaysian family recently captured a rare and striking sight on video—a Bornean clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi borneensis) leisurely roaming a road in broad daylight in Sarawak’s Matu District, part of the Mukah Division. The video, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the elusive and endangered feline walking through an area surrounded by tall grasses, seemingly unperturbed by the nearby vehicle.
The footage caught the attention of the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), which responded in a Facebook post on June 3. According to the agency, the sighting highlights that Sarawak remains an important natural refuge for rare and protected wildlife species. The SFC emphasized that this incident reflects the success of the Sarawak Government’s long-standing biodiversity conservation initiatives.
Despite the encouraging implications, officials raised concerns about the leopard’s unusual behavior—being active in the daytime and appearing close to human-populated areas. Experts suggest that this could indicate disruptions in its natural habitat, possibly caused by environmental degradation or a scarcity of food in the surrounding forests.
The Bornean clouded leopard, recognized in 2007 as a distinct subspecies from its Sumatran counterpart (Neofelis diardi diardi), is classified as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Environmental organization Permian Global identifies it as the largest terrestrial predator on the island of Borneo. Typically, this elusive species prefers dense lowland and hill forests, avoiding open areas with minimal tree coverage.
Named for the cloud-like patterns on their fur, these leopards possess several unique physical traits. Adult individuals may grow fangs as long as 5 centimeters, and their long tails—often as long as their bodies—help them balance while navigating tree canopies in search of prey. However, due to their secretive nature, much about their behavior and population size remains unknown.
In Sarawak, clouded leopards are legally classified as “totally protected wildlife.” Under local law, those found hunting, capturing, or trading the species face penalties of up to RM50,000 (approximately S$15,175) and a maximum prison sentence of five years.
In light of the sighting, the SFC has dispatched a team to investigate the area and monitor the situation. Residents in the vicinity have been urged to stay alert, avoid close contact with wild animals, and report any further sightings to the authorities. The SFC also reminded the public that wildlife conservation is a shared duty, emphasizing that “wildlife is an invaluable asset” whose protection depends on collective action. —The Straits Times
Image—Reuters
