‘Extinct’ bay cat photographed at wildlife sanctuary

PETALING JAYA: The elusive bay cat, once thought to be extinct, was photographed at a wildlife sanctuary in Sarawak two months ago. 

University Sarawak Malaysia (Unimas) lecturer and researcher Mohd Azlan Jayazilan Abd Gulam Azad said a photograph of the animal proved that the species had not become extinct and provided scientists a chance to study the physical aspects of the cat. 

It was sighted near Sungai Ulu Katibas in the Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary on June 27 when he, with the help of Forestry Department officers Engkamat Lading and Munau, were doing a joint survey on the distribution and occurrence of the bay cat.  

The study was carried out with the co-operation of the department and the state government and supported by the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Cat Action Treasury and the World Conservation Union Cat Specialist Group.  

The sanctuary, with about 1,668 sq km of forest on rugged hilly terrain, is part of the second largest transboundary tropical rainforest protected area. The Indonesian part is the Bentuang-Karimun National Park, which stretches for about 200km along the Malaysian-Indonesian border. 

CAUGHT IN CAMERA: A bay cat, thought to be extinct, was captured on film though infra-red sensor camera trapping, at the Sungai Ulu Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Santuary in Sarawak in June.- Photo courtesy of Mohd Azlan J.Abdul Gulam Azad.

Mohd Azlan said the bay cats were rare and elusive animals, found in scattered locations throughout Borneo. 

“This study will help identify the distribution of the species because, before this, there has been no data, population study and even the biology is unknown,” he said. 

“The bay cat is about the size of a large domestic cat with an extra long tail and has two colour phases. The coat can be mahogany red or blackish grey on the back and flanks, but it is usually paler on the under parts, with some faint spots on the belly and limbs. 

“A pale flash marks the inside of each eye and there may be faint dark stripes on the top of the head and the cheeks. The first half of the tail is conspicuously white underneath,” he said in the study. 

He said the study showed that the sanctuary was an excellent refuge for such rare species.  

“Also, Sarawak forests may have the carrying capacity to support a viable population of bay cats within Borneo.”  

Mohd Azlan expects to continue the research at the area for about a year before moving on to other sanctuaries, which depends on whether he can get the necessary funding.  

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