He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
It was officially declared extinct in 2013 but the Formosan clouded leopard is still alive. There have been several sightings of this special creature, considered sacred by local populations.
No specimens had been sighted since 1983. Even a 13-year study by a number of zoologists did not generate positive news. Thus, this splendid animal was declared extinct. But some citizens of the city of Daren, in southeastern Taiwan, reported seeing this repeatedly over the past few months, urging forest rangers to monitor the area to keep hunters away and protect it as much as possible.
Sightings of the Formosa Clouded Leopard in Taitung County by Paiwan Forest Patrols in January were revealed last week in an Apple Daily article written by Professor Liu Chiung-hsi of the Department of Life Sciences of Taitung University.
In Liu, Kao Cheng-chi, village chief of the Paiwan tribe, would have revealed that first a patrol made up of two rangers and then another from the village of Alangyi in Taitung noticed the leopard considered extinct. And they did it at different times, during the month of January 2019.
This time the sightings seem more accurate than the previous ones, dating back to June 2018. One of the patrols saw the leopard attack a goat from a tree. The other group instead saw him run before disappearing into the woods.
Peace symbol
Called "Li'uljaw" by the people of Paiwan, the leopard holds a special place in the cultures of Taiwanese tribes including Puyuma, Bunun, Paiwan and Rukai.
In particular, in Paiwan culture it represents the spirit of great ancient warriors and hunting for the animal is prohibited. According to traditional tales, his 66 teeth form the crown left by "Matreli" or Ma Chih-li, the legendary tribal chief of Puyuma who lived from 1887 to 1966. According to Ma Lai-sheng's nephew, the crown is a symbol of peace and it was worn by her grandfather in two important ceremonies, one celebrating the end of the 200-year feud between the Puyuma and Bunun and the other during the reconciliation between indigenous and Han peoples in 228.
The position of the clouded leopard of Formosa as a spiritual icon is undisputed and the news of its extinction has long been debated, as has that of its reappearance.
The Forestry Bureau said it will have to investigate further to prove the rangers' claims, but senior members of the Bunun tribe said they believe the animal still lurks in the woods.
Meanwhile, the indigenous people of Alangyi village have also asked the Forestry Bureau to stop logging while the leaders of the Paiswan community have authorized the Australian Community College Development Association to raise funds to protect the "Li 'uljaw".
There are hopes that the leopard is still alive. And if it is indeed confirmed, we hope that he will continue to hide as he has done to this day.
READ also:
- Taiwan: Formosan clouded leopard declared extinct
Francesca Mancuso
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