3 major drivers of environmental problem:
(1)Human Population (2) Material Affluence (3) Technology
All of which boils down to human behavior and our mere overpopulation! Leopard cats do not consume resources like we do, yet they bear the consequences of our actions like the rest of the biodiversity on this earth. Often, we neglect the fact that every living being has an equal share of this earth’s resources. We are obligated to co-exist with other beautiful beings but the knowledge and skills seem to not be reproduced as fast as our growing population rate, sometimes causing human-wildlife conflict.
Historically, there had been instances of overhunting of leopard cats to protect their livestock (chickens)- managing human-wildlife conflict.
War and subsequent colonization led to rapid urbanization, from the initial villages and ports (rising affluence) that resulted in leopard cats’ habitat loss. Then came the all too familiar climate change, where rising temperatures make it more and more inhabitable a climate in Singapore for our spotted friends. (Upper threshold of 38 degrees Celsius, beyond which has no records of leopard cat presence*)
Modern Anthropozoic Epoch, shows how our lifestyle drives the permanent environmental changes that in turns drives out furry friends out of life as they know it. The 3 major drivers work cohesively; landscape changes in terms of transport facilities such as more roads and concrete paths (marking rising affluence and technological advances in transport systems) make it hazardous for these carnivorous animals to roam and hunt. We are making ourselves more susceptible to road hazards as well; recorded road kills are unfortunate events that resulted in death of the animals*
Imagine if the motorists tried to veer away and went off-road or to the neighboring lane- a concoction for a chain accident. More people and technology use will tend to generate not only more waste, but more toxic chemical waste as well. This may lead to poisoning and/or the animals getting trapped, suffocated or injured by plastic bags or the very example of the abandoned trap of which the animal will die of heat or starvation if not freed. Current exploitation due to hunting and collecting to satisfy the sole fascination of human interest in these animals- “domesticating” these wild cats, parading in their coats and false impressions of medicinal value.
pet trade; breeding Bengal cats (hybrid of leopard cats and domestic felines) which most of the time is unsuccessful due to the wild instinct of these animals.
bones; used in some traditional Asian medicines (Nowell and Jackson, 1996)
Results= International Union for conservation of nature (IUCN) Red List
*http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0013724
**To report road kill, call the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research at 6516 5082 or email rmbr@nus.edu.sg. A photo or description of the animal, its general condition and detailed location would be most useful.