Did there are 41 distinct species of cat, from fearsome lions and tigers, to the well-known and beloved home cat? And that some cat species can rely themselves among the many rarest animals on earth and getting ready to extinction.
Wild cats are discovered on each continent besides Australia and Antarctica. Not all of them are as ubiquitous as our valuable moggies nevertheless, some cats are vanishingly uncommon and are amongst essentially the most threatened animals on the planet.
More than 40% of untamed cat species are labeled as endangered or threatened, they usually face many pressures together with habitat loss as a result of human actions, and unlawful looking for their fur, bones and claws. Often solitary and reclusive animals, cats will be very exhausting to check, and so the dangers they face are sometimes not well-known they usually can fly underneath the conservation radar.
This is particularly true of small cats, a lot much less identified than the famed huge cats, who are sometimes the poster-children of conservation organisations. Many on this record fall into the small cat class. Read on to study these elusive however fascinating animals and the threats they should deal with.
See Cats of the world: a gallery of fantastic feline pictures
The rarest cats on this planet
Iriomote Cat
- (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis)
- (roughly 100 people)
The rarest cat on this planet is the Iriomote Cat. A subspecies of the Leopard Cat, this cat lives solely on the small and distant Japanese island of Irimote. There are regarded as as few as 100 left within the wild and the inhabitants is declining.
About the dimensions of a home cat they’ve brown/gray fur interspersed with bands of darkish spots and a fats stumpy tail. Their most popular habitat is the decrease elevations of the island, amongst wetlands, rice paddies, small hills, and even seashores.
Their weight loss plan may be very different and contains crabs, bats, and frogs, in addition to the anticipated rodents and different small mammals.
Sadly, though they don’t seem to be straight hunted, they’re generally caught up in searching traps set for wild boar, and are thought of a delicacy when they’re. They additionally face threats from visitors collisions, canine predation, and just like the Scottish wildcat, inter-species breeding with home cats which has diluted their genetics.
Amur Leopard
- Panthera pardus orientalis
- 120 people
The subsequent on our record is regarded as essentially the most endangered huge cat on this planet. One of eight subspecies of leopard, the Amur leopard has been dropped at the brink of extinction by habitat loss, declining prey numbers, and notably, the unlawful wildlife commerce.
It is straightforward to see why this cat may be significantly prized by poachers – its stunning noticed fur coat. Its bones are additionally extremely valued to be used in conventional Asian drugs.
How many Amur Leopard are left within the wild?
Relentless unlawful searching has pushedAmur leopard numbers to fewer than 100 wild people in recent many years and they’re listed as critically endangered. However, exhausting work from conservationists has had some optimistic results, with now at the least 120 adults regarded as prowling the pine forests of Russia and China. Thanks to larger protections and enforcement of anti-poaching legal guidelines the inhabitants at the moment appears to be secure and growing.
Sumatran Tiger
- Panthera tigris sondaica
- 400 people
Also often called Sunda tigers, after the island group on which they’re discovered, these cats, although majestic are the smallest sort of tiger.
As with leopards, there’s a substantial unlawful marketplace for their pelts, which has contributed to their decline.
How many Sumatran Tigers are there left within the wild?
Their populations are small and fragmented throughout the Indonesian island of Sumatra, with as few as 400 people regarded as left within the wild. As properly as poaching habitat loss has been a serious driver of inhabitants decline in these tigers. In explicit, the substitute of forests with palm oil plantations has been devastating to them when it comes to lack of prey alternatives.
Strict protections have been put into place to try to protect Indonesia’s remaining tigers. Many of them now dwell inside patrolled nationwide parks, and in addition to governmental legal guidelines a non secular decree (a fatwa) has been instituted by the Muslim nation in opposition to poachers.
Andean mountain cat
- (Leopardus jacobita)
- 1,378 mature people
As the title would recommend, these small wild cats are discovered at excessive altitudes within the Andes mountains of South America. They are tailored to dwell in elevated rocky environments, with thick fur to maintain out the chilliness and a fluffy tail to present them superior steadiness.
This specialisation implies that their populations are fairly small and patchy. They sadly face many threats, as with a quantity on this record the encroachment of human agriculture into their territories is a serious one. This has led to habitat loss and in addition human-wildlife battle. They are sometimes killed by native farmers and herders in retaliation for predation of their small home livestock, along with being hunted for meals and conventional drugs.
The Andean cat can also be thought of to be a sacred animal by some indigenous peoples, significantly in Bolivia, Peru and northern Chile. This doesn’t present them with safety, nevertheless, fairly the alternative. Dried and stuffed specimens are prized to be used in harvest festivals, and looking for these causes is without doubt one of the main threats to this species.
Iberian Lynx
- Lynx pardinus
- 688 people
This Mediterranean forest feline was as soon as the world’s most endangered cat. The story of the Iberian Lynx is considerably of a conservation success story, in that it actually did come again from the brink. In 2002 it was on the sting of extinction with solely 94 people left in two separate and remoted populations.
Since then very intensive conservation efforts which have included habitat restoration, restocking of rabbits (the prey animal that makes up over 80% of its weight loss plan), translocations, and reintroductions of captive-bred lynxes has seen their numbers steadily improve.
In 2023 there have been an estimated 1688 people. The species remains to be listed as endangered nevertheless, and faces many remaining threats, from local weather change to lethal illnesses.
What’s the world’s smallest cat? Meet the tiny felines barely greater than a ruler
Borneo Bay Cat
- Catopuma badia
- 2,200 people)
Found solely on the island of Borneo (an island divided up and owned by three totally different nations), this curious cat is a little bit of a thriller. Due to its rareness and shy nature, not very a lot is thought about it. It may be very exhausting to seek out, a lot much less to check. It is in actual fact so elusive that after its discovery it was misplaced to science for greater than 60 years.
Looks-wise it is extremely hanging, with vibrant chestnut fur and brilliant yellow eyes. Due to the shortage of information now we have about it, the threats it faces should not well-known, however it’s assumed to be vulnerable to lots of the pressures confronted by Bornean wildlife, together with deforestation as a result of palm oil plantations, and the unlawful wildlife commerce. Deforestation is a serious conservation in Borneo, with the island having misplaced 50% of its forest cowl between 1973 and 2015. This is the first reason for habitat loss for the island’s fauna, together with the cryptic Bay cat.
New inhabitants of uncommon cat species found
Flat-headed Cat
- Prionailurus planiceps
- 2,499 people
This cat almost does not appear to be a cat in any respect, with its huge close-set eyes and slender physique it’s maybe extra harking back to some type of lemur. It does nevertheless belong to the identical genus because the Leopard cat amongst others. It is known as for its elongated cranium, which permits them binocular imaginative and prescient and thus good depth notion, helpful for a hunter, and particularly one which captures prey from water. This cat feeds totally on fish which it grabs straight out of the water, usually submerging its head fully when doing so. Because it relies upon so fully on wetland habitats, it faces many threats. Wetlands are a few of the most at-risk environments as a result of air pollution from industrial waste and agricultural runoff, draining for human growth, and overfishing. Wetlands are additionally significantly vulnerable to the results of local weather change. For these causes flat-headed cats, though protected by nationwide legislations, face an unsure future. They are listed as endangered and lowering.
Snow leopard
- Panthera uncia
- about 3000 people
Native to Central and South Asia, the Snow leopard is classed as vulnerable as its inhabitants numbers fewer than 10,000 people and is declining. These stunning huge cats are completely tailored for all times within the mountains, with massive paws that cease them from sinking into the snow, dense fur that each retains them heat and camouflages them, and highly effective again legs that enable them to leap nice distances.
These apex predators are on the prime of the meals chain, with their solely pure predators being people. Like different cats with stunning thick fur, they’re focused by poachers – primarily to be used as rugs and wall hangings by unscrupulous luxurious consumers. Despite the danger of huge fines and jail sentences for anybody discovered searching or promoting them, demand nonetheless persists and is simply regarded as growing.
Scottish wildcat
- Felis silvestris silvestris
- inhabitants unknown
Scottish wildcats should not a species in their very own proper, however a inhabitants of European Wildcats, however nonetheless, as one of many UK’s most charismatic and enigmatic animals, and our solely native cat, their conservation is essential.
Sadly, habitat loss, in addition to hybridisation with home moggies has brought about them to turn out to be critically endangered, and there are only a few regarded as left within the wild – maybe solely a few hundred.
The inhabitants is taken into account to be not viable – that’s it can’t survive with out human intervention. Quite a lot of work has gone into attempting to save lots of the Scottish wildcat from extinction, together with captive breeding programmes at Scottish zoos and releases into protected areas. In June 2023 nineteen people had been launched into the Cairngorms National Park within the Scottish Highlands, and one other 13 kittens have been bred and are set to be launched this summer time. So far these cats are doing properly, studying to hunt voles and mice for themselves, and there has solely been one demise.
- Felis nigripes
- >10,000 people
It may shock you that this lovely little kitty is thought to some as “the deadliest cat on the planet”. Look at that face! Don’t fear, they don’t seem to be particularly harmful to people, however regardless of being Africa’s smallest felid they’re essentially the most profitable hunters of all wild cat species.
Although they concentrate on bringing down solely small prey (comprehensible given their very own diminutive measurement) – shrews, rodents, small birds and reptiles – they’re incredible at doing so. A black-footed cat can seize extra prey in a single evening than a leopard may in six months!
Unfortunately, nevertheless, these wonderful hunters are classed as vulnerable and their numbers are lowering. This is primarily as a result of habitat loss and degradation, on account of human land use. The growth in human agriculture has led to those cats shedding key sources, together with den websites and prey. There are at the moment regarded as about 9,700 mature people within the wild, however the secretive and nocturnal nature of those cats implies that it’s exhausting to know for certain.
Discover different fascinating cat species
