View Full Version : New Creature Found On Tropical Island
Dale Anthony
06-12-2005, 13:05
A mysterious new creature has been discovered in dense tropical forest on the island of Borneo.It could be the first new carnivorous mammal to be found on the island for more than a century.The animal is slightly larger than a domestic cat with dark red fur and a long bushy tail.
It has been photographed twice by a camera trap at night, according to World Wildlife Fund researchers.
WWF said it is hoping to confirm more about the discovery by setting cage traps and catching a live specimen.
It is thought that the animal may be a new species of marten or civet cat, but there is also the possibility that it will be in an entirely new group.
Biologist Stephan Wulffraat, who is co-ordinating WWF's research on the animal, said: "We showed the photo of the animal to locals who know the wildlife of the area, but nobody had ever seen this creature before.
"We also consulted several Bornean wildlife experts. Some thought it looked like a lemur, but most were convinced it was a carnivore."
There is a risk that the creature might remain a mystery forever as its habitat is seriously threatened by human development.
The animal was photographed at Kayan Mentarang National Park in Kalimantan, the Indonesian side of the island.
It is located in the "Heart of Borneo", a mountainous region covered with vast tracts of rainforest.
But the Indonesian government is planning to create the world's largest palm oil plantation in this area, which WWF says would devastate forests, wildlife and indigenous communities.
Heck, this is pretty interesting. I dunno if anyone else has read this yet but a New Creature. Do you think it really is something new? Or is it simply a kinda hybrid? Discuss what you think about it if anything.
a forgotten species that evolved ?
Kind of weird since no one has seen it before so maybe like Lenin has said, it has evolved? And well do you have any pictures or anything, i'd like to see this somewhat - rather interesting really, xP.
Dale Anthony
06-12-2005, 13:32
Well, I ain't found any pictures as of yet but then again I ain't really looked lol. But I dunno, as soon as I read about it, I was pretty fascinated. Yeah, it might just have evolved but I'd like to see it. I'll have a look around and see if I can find any for yas.
IT'S ME, I'M IT!!!!!!! RAWR!!
Anywho, sounds interesting - bet its gross looking though =P Let us see when you've got a picture.
They shoulda catch it though, should leave the poor thing alone =\
Spira's_Destiny
06-12-2005, 13:43
ok thats pretty strange, yet pretty cool and still weird
IT'S ME, I'M IT!!!!!!! RAWR!!
Anywho, sounds interesting - bet its gross looking though =P Let us see when you've got a picture.
They shoulda catch it though, should leave the poor thing alone =\
Well the government is clearing that area for some other building crap thing, so maybe they should capture it and like keep it safe and everything xP. Hmmmm wouldn't be too surprised if it was you =P xD.
crazylegs
06-12-2005, 14:36
cool i want to see the pictures
WWF said it is hoping to confirm more about the discovery by setting cage traps and catching a live specimen.
-_- Why do humans persist to know about every single little thing on this planet? Leave the poor thing in it's natural habitat ffs. We don't need to know EVERYTHING.
Tharrick
06-12-2005, 15:42
Why do humans persist to know about every single little thing on this planet? Leave the poor thing in it's natural habitat ffs. We don't need to know EVERYTHING.
And if in its genome is a resistance towards HIV? Don't you think that that could be more than a little important?
Thousands of tree frogs were taken from a third world country a few years ago. From their secretions, we isolated and produced a powerful (and now medically common) painkiller.
And if in its genome is a resistance towards HIV? Don't you think that that could be more than a little important?
Thousands of tree frogs were taken from a third world country a few years ago. From their secretions, we isolated and produced a powerful (and now medically common) painkiller.
It's not the point, the fact you wouldn't like to be locked up and to be tested on so why should animals have to be just because they may be useful?
Tharrick
06-12-2005, 17:53
If a sample of my blood could provide immunity against AIDS to the world, I'd gladly give it.
why should animals have to be just because they may be useful?
So, I'm assuming you refuse to use all medicine ever, because pretty much all of it has been tested on animals.
http://www.vg.no/bilder/bildarkiv/1133857719.1226.jpg
http://www.vg.no/bilder/bildarkiv/1133860265.57529.jpg
The top image to me looks like that vegi dinosaur with the long neck.
Dale Anthony
06-12-2005, 18:17
Hmm...well not what I expected...but thanks for the images Revan. Where'd you find them?
Norwegian news site. Check the img url, www.vg.no
Yeah, the top image does look like a vegi dinosaur with the long neck - shame thats its tail.
There was footage of the creature on tv, looks pretty cool.
and I've been to Borneo.. I SHOULDA FOUND IT FIRST!
They are SO CUTE!!!! ^.^ Adooooooorable!
Does anyone else want one? =\ I do, I'm going to have one infact and I'll name it fanta and it'll live with my pink dinosaur and my CRABSES...
Dale Anthony
06-12-2005, 21:27
I wonder how much they'd cost in Pet Shops.
They'd be under the title of "Super Tropical Animal". Probably cost a fortune to feed. :P
Zidane007nl
06-12-2005, 22:01
I've just seen the creature on the Dutch news. Really looked like a cat, but with a very large tail. Some say it looked like a marsupial, other say a monkey like.
See a video here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news_web/video/9012da68002d380/nb/09012da68002d66a_16x9_nb.asx).
Trigani-Maru-Suke
06-12-2005, 22:12
I've just seen the creature on the Dutch news. Really looked like a cat, but with a very large tail. Some say it looked like a marsupial, other say a monkey like.
See a video here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news_web/video/9012da68002d380/nb/09012da68002d66a_16x9_nb.asx).
is there some special program you need to veiw this? becayse whenever i click on the link it just loads a blank page and then nothing happens.
TriggerHappi:D
06-12-2005, 23:04
Yeah, the top image does look like a vegi dinosaur with the long neck - shame thats its tail.
YEAH! IT'S ASS IS A BRACHIOSAURUS! XD
But yeah, that thing is reeeeeally ugly. They are SO CUTE!!!! ^.^ Adooooooorable!
It's okay, Lei. We all get stoned at one point or another.
But yeah, it's cool to know that we haven't figured out every secret about this planet. There's actually different types of squirrels to find...
It looks like a possum (marsupial animal), only larger tail and different fur colour, xP. And ZOMG, LOOK AT IT'S EYES! SHINY! I LIKES SHINY! SHINEY!!!!!! Yeah.... cool animal O_o though it looks like it's a familar one and one already existant. And Tharrick DOES have a point, but I don't think that's the case in this situation. And curiousity is a part of the human being and people like you guys not liking people testing on animals is also part of life. And yes i'm pretty sure many of us do want to know everything as there are many mysteries which people are very curious of.
And yeah it does look like that dinosaur with that long neck and rofl at Bryant, xD. And if that WAS teh case, then it has a SHINY ass (literally =O) xD. Oh and also ears on it's rear. The lower image looks like some sort of weird cat, while the top looks like a possum (like I said) O_o. And Lei has had too much sugar =D
And if in its genome is a resistance towards HIV? Don't you think that that could be more than a little important?
Thousands of tree frogs were taken from a third world country a few years ago. From their secretions, we isolated and produced a powerful (and now medically common) painkiller.
That's not the point though. From reading the article, I assume that when they say "hoping to confirm more about the discovery by setting cage traps and catching a live specimen" they mean to research more about where the creature actually originally came from (hereditary), how/if it evolved from something, etc. And that I think is not necessary...the species is already endangered, so I say let it live in peace, it can do without the stress of being captured. The article mentions nothing about HIV and AIDS so I didn't take that into consideration when I typed up my reply. =P
Tharrick
07-12-2005, 15:42
the species is already endangered, so I say let it live in peace, it can do without the stress of being captured.
Didn't you read the rest of the article? a) The critter isn't endangered YET, not for a little while, because we've only just found it - 'endangered' usually means something that we've hunted or killed almost to extinction. b) it will be soon, because they're building the worlds largest oil palm plantation in that area which'll involve the destruction of the local ecosystem. c) Should we capture it, it'd be possible to then conserve it, whether by putting it in zoos and wildlife reserves, or finding a similar habitat in the wild for it.
By leaving it be, we doom it to extinction.
Didn't you read the rest of the article? a) The critter isn't endangered YET, not for a little while, because we've only just found it - 'endangered' usually means something that we've hunted or killed almost to extinction. b) it will be soon, because they're building the worlds largest oil palm plantation in that area which'll involve the destruction of the local ecosystem. c) Should we capture it, it'd be possible to then conserve it, whether by putting it in zoos and wildlife reserves, or finding a similar habitat in the wild for it.
By leaving it be, we doom it to extinction.
wow i never thought of that *gives tharrick 10 brownie points*.
He does have a point I was about to post something completly different until he actually pointed that out :)
Well the government is clearing that area for some other building crap thing, so maybe they should capture it and like keep it safe and everything xP. Hmmmm wouldn't be too surprised if it was you =P xD.
>.> Nice to know my posts go unnoticed =D And yeah if you actual READ the article liek Tharrick said, it says they're going to build some crap there ANYWAY so better to capture it and put in a safe place or something then leave it there.
Razorblade Kiss
10-12-2005, 19:48
that animal scares me. It's eyes are soo....huge.
crazylegs
10-12-2005, 23:21
I think it's kinda cute and ugly at the same time...wierdtail
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