THE FIRST VIDEO CAPTURING AN ADORABLE WILD BORNEAN CLOUDED LEOPARD FAMILY

In the wild, few animals are cuter than big cats—or, in this case, medium-sized cats. The Bornean clouded leopard is a small nocturnal predator, but its long tail and unusually long canines make up for it. The cute cats, scientifically named Neofelis diardi borneensis, are extremely elusive and are rarely spotted in person or even caught on camera in their native island of Borneo, Indonesia. However, a fascinating new film captured by a camera trap in Tanjung Puting National Park has surfaced.

A family of Bornean clouded leopards has been captured for the first time by a camera trap. A mother and her two cubs parade with such affection, their distinctive spots and tails in full view.

Tanjung Puting National Park and the Orangutan Foundation, who keep a close eye on the remarkable animals that live there, released the video. Camera traps are essential for monitoring these species' well-being without upsetting them with human presence. A mother leopard and her two gorgeous cubs were captured on camera on April 9 in the heart of the forest. With their tails helping with balance, the three hop across the forest floor with agility and alertness. Even one cub looks directly into the camera for a final glimpse. Not only is this sighting adorable, but it also shows that the species is doing well.

With an estimated population of five to eleven thousand on Borneo and a few thousand more on the island of Sumatra, the Bornean clouded leopard is classified as a vulnerable species. Anxious Yoga Perdana, research manager for the Orangutan Foundation, states that the clouded leopard is an arboreal species that is a skilled ground hunter and contributes significantly to ecosystem maintenance. Seeing a mother and her cubs indicates that the species, which is extremely rare, is in good health and is actively reproducing.

For this reason, the Orangutan Foundation states that "it is important to protect the forest habitat, enabling a safe environment for this mother and her offspring, and other individuals, to grow up safely and one day reproduce themselves." Deforestation poses a serious threat to these arboreal felines.