By Gladys Toh
As part of the NUSOne initiative, NUS Libraries will be organising a Leap of Learning series on Wednesday afternoons, designed to broaden intellectual horizons and encourage students to learn new skills outside the classroom.
For the inaugural event, we are delighted to invite Marcus Chua, Senior Tutor and Curator of Mammals at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, to share insights on the endangered leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). Marcus began his research on leopard cats during his Master’s studies, focusing on their ecology and conservation in Singapore. Check out his blog dedicated to leopard cats!
To learn more about leopard cats and Singapore’s rich biodiversity, we invite you to explore our curated selection of resources available in our collection:
Guide to the Zoological Collections of the Raffles Museum, Singapore (1908) / By R. Hanitsch
Written by the first Director of the Raffles Museum, this guide provides a detailed and comprehensive overview of the zoological collections of the Raffles Museum Singapore. The book mentions that under the Carnivora section in the museum, there are displays that include the leopard cat found in the Malay Peninsula, as well as the “harimau dahan” or “h. akar” (a Clouded Leopard) which was said to have been obtained near Changi.
The Menagerie at the Botanic Gardens. Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, No. 46 (December 1906) / By H. N. Ridley
During the stewardship of the Agri-Horticultural Society, the Singapore Botanic Gardens housed a collection of living animals for public exhibition. Written by H. N. Ridley, the first scientific director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, this issue introduces the variety of animals kept in the Gardens, including leopard cats. In addition to describing the behaviour of the cats, he also wrote about the methods employed in their care and an unknown disease that affected them.
Nature Contained: Environmental Histories of Singapore (2014) / Edited by Timothy P. Barnard
The book explores how humans have interacted with and understood Singapore’s natural environment over the past 200 years, drawing from an array of traveller’s accounts and primary texts that provide first-hand descriptions of the island’s events. It also recounts how tigers were hunted, the tragic stories of people killed and how hunted tigers were later put on display.
Population Density, Spatiotemporal Use and Diet of the Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) in a Human-Modified Succession Forest Landscape of Singapore (2016) / By Marcus A. H. Chua, Sivasothi N., and Rudolf Meier
This paper provides evidence on how leopard cats thrive in human-modified habitats in Asia, particularly in oil palm monocultures, using methods such as camera trapping and both qualitative and quantitative diet analyses.
Private Lives: An Exposè of Singapore Rainforests (2012) / Edited by Wang Luan Keng, Darren C. J. Yeo, Kelvin K. P. Lim and Shawn K. Y. Lum
This book is part of the “Private Lives” series which explores various ecosystems like freshwaters, shores and mangroves. This particular volume delves into the stories and anecdotes of various organisms found in Singapore’s tropical rainforests. It highlights how military areas in Singapore used for training and buffers for military firing ranges, were strongholds for some rare animals, including the leopard cat.
Pulau Ubin: Ours to Treasure (2000) / By Chua Ee Kiam
This beautifully illustrated book pays tribute to Pulau Ubin, an island off Singapore’s northeast shore, showcasing its rich biodiversity through photographs and oral histories. The island has also reported sightings of leopard cats, whose exceptional swimming abilities enabled them to travel from mainland Singapore to the island.
Rain Forest in the City: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Singapore, The Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore, Supplement No. 3 (1995) / Edited by Chin See Chung, Richard T. Corlett, Y. C. Wee and S. Y. Geh
The Gardens’ Bulletin Singapore publishes papers on plant taxonomy, horticulture, phytogeography, floristics, morphology, anatomy and related fields, focusing on plants in the West Malesian region. This particular volume discusses the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in Singapore, with the chapter “Mammals of Bukit Timah” documenting past sightings of leopard cats.
Singapore Biodiversity: An Encyclopedia of the Natural Environment and Sustainable Development (2011) / Edited by Peter K. L. Ng, Richard T. Corlett, Hugh T. W. Tan
Authored by leading authorities on Singapore’s natural environment, this comprehensively illustrated volume features 23 essays covering the concepts of biodiversity, ecosystems, and sustainability, and describes more than 40,000 non-microbial species that make up the island’s unique biodiversity. An entry on leopard cat provides details on its physical appearance, diet and sighting locations.
Singaporean Creatures: Histories of Humans and Other Animals in the Garden City (2024) / Edited by Timothy P. Barnard
Using historical and ecological analysis, this book explores how various institutions, perspectives and events involving animals provide insights into the development of Singapore as a modern, urban nation-state, while highlighting the challenges of planning and development.
Small Wild Cats: The Animal Answer Guide (2011) / By James G. Sanderson and Patrick Watson
Did you know that adult bobcats, clouded leopards, and other small wild cats are completely asocial? This informative book uncovers hundreds of interesting facts about the behaviour, biology, and conservation of over 30 small wild cat species, including the leopard cat.
Temasekia: 50 Plants and Animals Native to Singapore (2015) / Edited by Marcus A. H. Chua
This edited volume spotlights on 50 plants and animals, some bearing scientific names linked to Singapore’s history, geography and cultural heritage. Notably, several species are unique to Singapore, earning them the title of “original Singaporeans”. A particularly interesting section is the “Chronology of Temasekia” which highlights the various local flora and fauna found locally from 1820 to 2015.
The Natural Heritage of Singapore (2010) / By Hugh T. W. Tan, L. M. Chou, Darren C. J. Yeo, Peter K. L. Ng
The Natural Heritage of Singapore offers an in-depth exploration of Singapore’s natural history. It notes that the leopard cat was probably Singapore’s largest cat. On 11 June 2001, a leopard cat roadkill was found along Mandai Road, and later exhibited at the then Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, presently known as the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.
The Singapore Naturalist (May 1924) / Edited by F. N. Chasen
Published by the Singapore Natural History Society, this volume documents the Society’s activities and explores various topics on Singapore’s biodiversity. In this issue, a paper titled “A Preliminary Account of the Mammals of Singapore Island” described the leopard cat as “one of the most beautiful of local mammals.” Sightings of leopard cats in the Changi jungle were also documented.
The Singapore Red Data Book: Threatened Plants & Animals of Singapore (2008) / Edited by G. W. H. Davison, P. K. L. Ng and H. C. Ho
First published in 1994, this book served as key reference, widely cited in publications, and used to inform conservation plans and initiatives by both governmental and non-governmental bodies. The latest edition includes updated contributions from an unprecedented number of experts and features additional illustrations. The entry on leopard cats offers basic information, including conservation measures.
Wild Animals of Singapore: A Photographic Guide to Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians and Freshwater Fishes (2012) / By Nick Baker and Kelvin Lim
Written and illustrated by a dedicated team of local wildlife experts, this book documents nearly all terrestrial vertebrates in Singapore, covering 38 mammals, 87 reptiles, 25 frogs and toads, and 30 freshwater fishes. It also provides chapters on how and where to observe wildlife in Singapore, along with a comprehensive checklist of all locally recorded species. The entry for leopard cats includes the zoometric measures, a detailed description of its physical characteristics and insights into their social behaviour.
