Recently, a team of researchers working in the rainforests of Southeast Asia captured exceptional footage of a very special female. As reported by the website The Dodo, she is the oldest of her species ever to be documented in the wild.
An extraordinary encounter in the rainforest
Spanning the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, the jungles of Southeast Asia are home to an incredibly rich ecosystem. While it is relatively easy to spot long-tailed macaques or rhinoceros hornbills, catching a glimpse of the Sunda Clouded Leopard is incredibly rare — she is a true mirage.
Tracking a survivor over the years
Thanks to a network of automated camera traps set up by scientists in the field, this female has been identified and tracked over the years. By analysing her unique coat patterns, researchers realised they had been following this particular leopard for more than a decade. This confirms her record-breaking age, which is all the more impressive given the many dangers of life in the wild, such as deforestation, poaching, and territorial rivalries.
"Her resilience and longevity in this environment are a testament to the incredible adaptability of these great cats," the scientists involved in the project explained.