The saying “ a leopard can not change its spots ” entail people ca n’t commute who they are . However , while leopards ca n’t translate their situation whole , they can conceal them , agree to an on-line newspaper published inJournal of Wildlife Management .
research worker from various Australian universities have beendocumentingthe leopards along the Malay Peninsula . Unfortunately for them , it ’s not an comfortable task – almost all the leopards are black .
" In the same way a genetic sport can induce some someone within a metal money to exhibit albino characteristic , black panthers are simply individuals that have a genotype causing a uniformly black coloration on their coating , " Laurie Hedges , a carnivore researcher from the University of Nottingham , toldmongabay . " In full 13 species of violent felids have been document with ' melanistic ' or black form , but apart from the difference in coloration , they are still the same species as their pattern heel counter persona . "
Thankfully , these researchers have now ground an easy means to fleck the difference – and it ’s all in the camera .
" Most robotic cameras have an infrared blink of an eye , but it ’s only activated at night , " Dr. Gopalasamy Reuben Clements of James Cook University said in apress release . " However , by blocking the camera ’s light sensor , we can befool the camera into opine it ’s nighttime even during the daylight , so it always flashes . "
Using their camera in this way revealed the hidden , distinctive leopard print we are conversant with , which could be used to differentiate between different animals . The squad were able-bodied to accurately identify 94 % of the leopard captivate on camera .
This probability Book of Revelation has become the first estimate of the Panthera pardus ’ universe tightness in Malaysia . Researchersestimatethere are about three Malay leopard for every 100 square kilometers ( 38.6 square land mile ) .
This stigma novel method could greatly aid future research and conservation feat .
