|
Profile of Asian Wild Cat
|
|
|
In all there
are about 8 species of wildcats to be found in Asia. Of
all the wildcats only one, the Bay Cat, is endemic to
Borneo. It should also be remembered that Panthers,
Tigers and the Golden Cat do not occur in Borneo.
|
 |
Although,
interestingly, there is evidence to say that there were
tigers in Borneo at least up till 200 years ago. How
they went extinct, no one knows. The following is a
simple summary of the main cat species to be found.
Leopard
*
Scientific name: Panthera pardus
*
Common name: Leopard or panther
*
Distribution: Western Turkey and Arabian Peninsula,
Southeastern Siberia, Sri Lanka, most of Africa, South
Asia and Indochina, Peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia
(Java).
*
Notes: The leopard can adapt to almost any habitat that
provides sufficient food and cover. It occupies lowland
forest, mountains, grassland, brush country and deserts.
Indo-Chinese Tiger
*
Scientific name: Panthera tigris corbetti
*
Common name: Indo-Chinese tiger
*
Distribution: Eastern Burma to Vietnam and the Malay
Peninsula.
*
Notes: The biggest of the Malaysian wildcats. Lately,
tigers have been having a rather high profile in
Malaysia due to cats preying on villagers in the eastern
part of Peninsular Malaysia.
Clouded Leopard
*
Scientific name: Neofelis nebulosa
*
Common name: Clouded leopard
*
Distribution: Nepal, Eastern and Southern China,
southeastward to Vietnam, Hainan, Taiwan, Indonesia
(Sumatra), Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo.
*Habits: Largest cat found in Borneo. Inhabits various
kinds of forest, perhaps to elevations of up to 2500m.
It is said to be a highly arboreal cat that hunts from
trees whereby it springs on ground preys from
overhanging branches.
Leopard Cat
*
Scientific name: Prionailurus bengalensis
*
Common name: Leopard cat
*
Distribution: Ussuri region of southeastern Siberia,
Manchuria, Korea, Quelpart and Tsushima islands (between
Korea and Japan) most of China, east of Tibet, Pakistan
to Indochina, Taiwan, Hainan, Sumatra, Java, Bali,
Lombok, Borneo, Malay Peninsula, several islands in the
western and central Philippines.
*
Notes: This cat is more adaptable to deforestation and
other habitat alterations compared to most other Asian
felids and is often found near villages.
Flat-headed Cat
*
Scientific name: Felis planiceps
*
Common name: Flat-headed cat
*
Distribution: Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Southern
Thailand, Indonesia (Sumatra).
*
Notes: Nocturnal and thought to be a fishing cat. Most
records of its hunts are from swamps and riverine
forest.
Fishing Cat
*
Scientific name: Felis viverrina
*
Common name: Fishing Cat
*
Distribution: India through Indochina & Java. Poorly
known for Peninsular Malaysia, but records show that
they occur in the very north, possibly Kelantan and
Upper Perak.
*
Notes: "Fishing cats are another feline that contradicts
the belief that cats don't like water. They are found in
a number of water habitats, including marshy thickets,
mangrove swamps, and densely vegetated areas along
rivers and streams. Powerful swimmers, they push
themselves along with their webbed hind feet. They have
been seen wading and swimming in shallow water, hunting
for a variety of aquatic prey, including fish, frogs and
toads, snails and crustaceans. They will also take small
birds and mammals, snakes and domestic stock such as
calves and young goats."
Marbled Cat
*
Scientific name: Felis marmorata
*
Common name: Marbled cat
*
Distribution: Nepal, Myanmar, Indochina, Indonesia
(Sumatra), Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia.
*
Notes: Arboreal, Because of human disturbance and
habitat destruction, this cat has declined and become
very rare in much of its range.
Golden Cat
*
Scientific name: Felis temmincki
*
Common name: Golden cat
*
Distribution: Tibet, Eastern Himalayas, Southern China,
Nepal, Myanmar, Indochina, Indonesia (Sumatra) and
Peninsular Malaysia.
*
Notes: Occurs in deciduous forests, tropical rainforest
and occasionally open habitats. It is usually a
terrestrial cat.
Bay Cat
*
Scientific name: Felis badia
*
Common name: Bay Cat
*
Distribution: Endemic to Borneo
*Notes: A very rare cat with most of the early records
made from only six specimens made between 1855 and 1928.
|
|
|
|
