Chinese Mountain Cat
Felis bieti
X. Jiji
Description
The Chinese Mountain cat (Felis bieti), traditionally called Chinese desert cat, is one of the least known cat species. Although the taxonomy of the Felis complex and thus the taxonomy of the Chinese mountain cat has not yet been fully resolved and agreed on, the Chinese mountain cat is currently considered to be a separate species to the European wildcat (Felis silvestris) and the Afro-Asiatic wildcat (Felis lybica). It is recognised as a monotypic species.
The Chinese Mountain cat has a stocky build and relatively short legs. In the Tibetan highlands it is called “grass cat” by the local people since its fur closely matches the colour of dry grass. The fur of the Chinese mountain cat is greyish in winter and dark brown in summer. Its sides, legs and cheeks are marked with faint brown horizontal lines. The lower lips, chin and belly are white, and the throat appears pale yellowish brown. The ears are tipped with tufts of dark brown fur, and the back of the ear is pale yellowish brown. The tail of the Chinese mountain cat is fairly bushy making up about 40% of the cat’s total body length The last part of its tail is encircled by three to six dark rings with a black tip.
Weight
5.5 - 9 kg
Body Length
60 - 85 cm
Tail Length
29 - 35 cm
Longevity
unknown
Litter Size
2 - 4 kittens
M. Pittet
Status and Distribution
The Chinese mountain cat is the least numerous of the wildcats and classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Very little information is available on this species. Generally, the Chinese mountain cat is considered to be rare, and its population size is estimated to be less than 10,000 mature individuals. Its population trend is decreasing and is projected to further decline given the continued threats. The population of the Chinese mountain cat is very likely fragmented.
The Chinese Mountain cat is endemic to China and has a restricted distribution only occurring on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau. It is found within the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Tibet. Historic reports from the province of Xinjiang, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia are now either attributed to the Afro-Asiatic wildcat or domestic cats or cannot be verified. The National Red List of China’s Vertebrates lists it as Critically Endangered.
M. Pittet
Habitat
The Chinese Mountain cat occurs primarily at elevations of 2,500 to 5,000 m and in areas with harsh climatic seasonal extremes. The climate can be dry, windy and range from extreme heat to extreme cold. The Chinese Mountain cat inhabits high-elevation steppe grasslands, alpine meadows and alpine shrubland. Sometimes it is also found in hilly loess steppe and edges of coniferous forests. In Xinlong County, Sichuan Province, it has also been pictured in mixed forest. It has never been recorded in deserts.
Ecology and Behaviour
There is little information available about the Chinese mountain cat’s ecology, spatial arrangements, habitat requirements and behaviour. The Chinese Mountain cat is solitary and mostly active at night or crepuscule. During the day it rests in burrows excavated by marmots or badgers where it also gives birth and rears its kittens. Most burrows used by Chinese mountain cats have been found on south facing slopes and some at elevations of 3,600 m. Females may have several breeding dens within their home range.
The mating season is thought to take place in January-March and most litters are born in May. At 7-8 months cubs become independent. Male and female Chinese mountain cats are solitary except during the breeding season. The Chinese Mountain cat hunts mole rats by listening for their movements through their subterranean tunnels (3-5 cm below the surface), and then digging them out.
Main Threats
Large scale poisoning campaigns have been conducted since 1958 in China in an attempt to control “pest” populations of voles, moles and pikas which are viewed as grazing competitors of domestic livestock. Studies have shown, however, that the problem of pest outbreaks results from overgrazing and that an important way to combat this problem would be to avoid overgrazing in combination with a healthy population of predators. Nonetheless, today, control programmes using poisonous chemicals continue throughout much of the Chinese mountain cat’s range and have eradicated pikas from large areas. Such prey depletion threatens the Chinese mountain cat. Poisoning can also lead to secondary poisoning in the predators such as the Chinese mountain cat. Another threat is hunting for its fur, which is mostly used locally for making traditional hats and clothing. The large-scale trade is banned, but it still occurs at an unknown and unregulated level so that Chinese mountain cats furs are still found in the illegal wildlife trade.
Additionally, the Chinese mountain cat is threatened by habitat loss caused by grazing and infrastructure development in the region, leading to habitat degradation and fragmentation. Road mortality has also been reported.
A recent study has found raised concerns about the potential of genetic introgression from domestic cats. Although the study had only found a widespread signal of genetic admixture from the Chinese mountain cat in the domestic cat, it shows the potential for gene flow in the opposite direction. If this occurs, it may potentially disrupt the genetic integrity of the Chinese mountain cat.
Conservation Effort and Protection Status
The Chinese Mountain cat is included in Appendix II of CITES. It is fully protected in China and under the highest level of protection measures by the wildlife legislation of China. In 1992, the Chinese mountain cat was recommended to be upgraded to Appendix I of CITES by the Cat Specialist Group, which would require permission of national, rather than provincial authorities to hunt or trade it. This recommendation has not yet been implemented.
Research on the status and distribution of the Chinese mountain cat and systematic surveys are urgently needed as well as further studies about its ecology and demography to be able to identify major threats and take efficient conservation measures. Moreover, the effectiveness of protected area management and other current conservation measures to protect the species should be assessed.
M. Pittet
Prey
Rodents are the major prey of the Chinese mountain cat. They take mainly mole rats, white-tailed pine vole, and pikas. Lagomorphs and birds such as pheasants and partridges are also taken. The Chinese Mountain cat probably also scavenges. It is also able to kill Himalayan Marmots.