An intense investigation of the island of "Borneo has revealed a plethora of new species of animals, shown here for the first time, starting with this clouded leopard.

Genetic tests showed that the clouded leopard found on "Borneo and Sumatra islands is a separate species from leopards that live in mainland Southeast Asia.

"For over a hundred years we have been looking at this animal and never realized it was unique," said an official with WWF International, a conservation group.

The animal is "Borneo's biggest predator.  The island's leopard population likely diverged from the mainland population about 1.4 million years ago, researchers said.

(Of course, that's only if you believe in evolution, which most certainly did not happen.)

An estimated 5.000 to 11,000 clouded leopards live on "Borneo.  Destruction of their habitat is the biggest threat they face.

 

The coloration and design of its fur makes one think of a large snake.

 

Since July 2005, more than 50 news species of animals and plants have been discovered on "Borneo, an island shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, according to the conservation group WWF. Here are photos of some discoveries from another area of Indonesia unveiled in 2006Since July 2005, more than 50 news species of animals and plants have been discovered on "Borneo, an island shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, according to the conservation group WWF.  Here are photos of some discoveries from another area of Indonesia unveiled in 2006.

Mammal expert Kris Helgen holds a golden-mantled tree kangaroo, one of several new species found in an Indonesian jungle.

A team of scientists discovered the animals, including this new species of smoky honeyeater bird.

The team captured the first photographic record
of a golden-fronted bowerbird.

The animals live in the Foja Mountains, an area in

eastern Indonesia's Papua province with more than two million acres of old growth tropical forest.

Some of the animals, like the tree kangaroo, exhibited no fear of humans, the scientists said.

The team took the first known photographs of

Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise, which was

described by hunters in New Guinea in the 19th

century.

The scientists said they discovered 20 frog species,

including a tiny frog less than a half-inch long, as well as four butterfly species and at least five palm plants.

Two long-beaked echidnas like this one let scientists pick them up and bring them to camp for study.

The process of classifying the animals officially as new species could take several years.