The Pallas's cat is a small wild cat with long and dense light grey fur, and rounded ears set low on the sides of the head. Its head-and-body length ranges from 46 to 65 cm with a 21 to 31 cm long bushy tail. It is well camouflaged and adapted to the cold continental climate in its native range, which receives little rainfall and experiences a wide range of temperatures.
Similar species: Carnivorans
By Ali Mohajeran
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Uploaded Apr 4, 2014. Captured in Yazd, 82، Iran.
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High in the mountains of central Asia, lives the mysterious, fluffy feline known as the Pallas's cat (Felis manul). This solitary cat prowls around in rocky crevices at elevations as high as 15,00 feet. Surprisingly, they are only about the size of a housecat, even though they appear much larger due to their long, dense coat and stocky build. In fact, Pallas's cats have the longest, densest fur of any cat. These fluffballs are quite ferocious ambush predators despite their adorable, yet grumpy, appearance. Their prey of choice include pikas, voles, birds, insects, and hares. Unlike other cats, they have large eyes with round pupils, rather than vertical slits. Pallas's cats are slow and use their camouflaged fur to blend in with their environment. They live at very low densities with only about 10 cat per 100 square kilometers. They don't seem to like each other much, and only come together for a brief, seasonal breeding period. Their notorious aggressiveness is even seen in newborn kittens, who are known to growl at each other even before their eyes are open! Their average lifespan is just over two years due to their extreme environment and the high rate at which they are preyed upon. Mortality rates in kittens are as high as 68%, while adult mortality is an estimated 50%, with most deaths caused by domestic dogs.
The Pallas's cat is classified as "near threatened" on the IUCN Red List. Historically, they were killed for their fur, but current laws now help protect the cats from hunters. However, they still face many dangers from poisoning, habitat loss, and climate change. The conservation of the Pallas's cat is a challenge because they have a specialized immune system, which precludes our ability to increase populations using captive breeding programs. Their immune system is specialized for high altitudes and can't handle the bacteria and viruses present at lower elevations. This means that the best hope for the conservation of the Pallas's cat is to keep their wild populations healthy. {Spotted in Iran by JungleDragon user, Ali Mohajeran} #JungleDragon Posted 6 years ago