S Kalimantan's Tabalong forest team secure rare leopard cat

Two leopard cats are secured by the Tabalong forest protection team. (Antaranews Kalsel/special)

The jungle cats have been evacuated and were sent to the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in Banjarbaru, for the reason they were not ready to be released to the wild,

Tanjung, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Members of forest protection team of the Tabalong Forest Management Unit (KHP) have secured a rare and protected animal of leopard cat species (Prionailurus bengalensis).

This one of Indonesia's endemic native jungle cat (others say it native to continental South, Southeast and East Asia) was secured by officers from a resident of Mabuun Urban Village RT (Neighborhood Unit) 1 in Tanjung, the capital of Tabalong District, South Kalimantan.

The team have secured from the resident two male leopard cats with age of about one week.

"The jungle cats have been evacuated and were sent to the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in Banjarbaru, for the reason they were not ready to be released to the wild," said Chief of Forest Protection of KPH Zainal Abidin.

The small cat, just about the size of domestic cat but more slender, has a leopard or tiger like complexion and is a protected species because of threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

Previously the KPH Tabalong had safed an endangered animal species of gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) or owa Kalimantan in Panaan Village, Bintang Ara Sub-district, and a rare bird of Julang Emas (Rhyticelos Undulatus) in Purui Village, Jaro Sub-district.

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