Leopard Cat
Prionailurus bengalensis
K. Varma
Description
The leopard cat belongs to the genus Prionailurus. On the basis of recent molecular studies, clear morphological differences, possible sympatry between two forms and biogeographic separation, the species was split into two species: the Mainland leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) inhabiting Mainland Asia from Pakistan to South-east Asia, China and the Russian Far East as well as Tsushima Island and Iriomote Island (Japan) and the Sunda leopard cat (Prionailurus javanensis) occurring on Java, Bali, Borneo, Sumatra, Palawan, Negros, Cebu, Panay, Philippines and possibly Malay Peninsula. From numerous previously described subspecies on the mainland, only two are tentatively recognised based on genetic studies:
-
Prionailurus bengalensis bengalensis in South Asia from Pakistan to China and probably the Malay Peninsula and
-
Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus in Manchuria, Russian Far East, Taiwan, Iriomote Island and Tsushima Island.
The leopard cat looks like a miniature, long-legged and slenderer version of a leopard. It has a round head, a short narrow muzzle and big rounded ears. Its fur varies highly in colour and markings according to the region. In the tropics, its fur is ochre or yellowish-brown with white underparts, while in the northern part of the species’ range, leopard cats have greyish brown thick fur and are also larger and heavier than the ones in the south. The size and shape of the black markings covering the body and limbs are also highly variable; the spots sometimes form lines along the neck and back. Often there is one stripe running along the length of the body. The tail is about half as long as the body, spotted and sometimes bears a few rings near the black tip. The ears have black backs with a white central spot and the face is marked with two dark stripes on the forehead. The cat has two narrow black cheek stripes enclosing a white spot. The irises are deep, golden brown to grey. Males are larger than females.
Individuals on Iriomote island, Japan, have a dusky brown pelt with rather long hair, patterned with horizontal rows of darker spots which tend to form indistinct bands.
Weight
1.6 - 8 kg
Body Length
45 - 65 cm
Tail Length
20 - 30 cm
Longevity
upto 13 years
Litter Size
1 - 4 kittens, usually 2-3
B. Cranke
Status and Distribution
The leopard cat is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. However, information on its status is limited and its population has not been estimated in many parts of its range. Nevertheless, it is considered to be abundant and its population assumed to be stable due to its widespread distribution and its tolerance to human disturbance. In Nepal, it is listed as Vulnerable, and in Bangladesh as Near Threatened. Its population status and trends are unknown, but it appears to be relatively common and widespread with stable populations in many areas as indicated by relatively frequent detections during camera trap studies in different habitats, including disturbed areas, throughout its range. However, island populations are vulnerable. In Russia the total population was estimated at 1,600 individuals, in Nepal at fewer than 2,500 and in Pakistan 100-150 individuals. For Singapore populations are estimated at 50 individuals. In China, the population size is about 230,000 and the trend stable. The previously recognised subspecies P. bengalensis iriomotensis was considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List since it numbers less than 250 individuals (100-110 individuals in 2008), consists of a single subpopulation and is thought to be declining. The Iriomote cat is listed as Endangered on Japan’s 2002 national Red List. On the Tsushima Island of Japan, the leopard cat has decreased over the last 30-40 years. In India, the leopard cat is considered endangered. In the Western Ghats, India, densities of 10.5 and 4.5 animals/100 km² have been recorded in the Badhra and Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserves respectively, respectively. In Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, India, the density was estimated at 17.5 / 100 km² and in Banke National Park, Nepal, at 4.9/ 100 km². In Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Thailand, leopard cat density in the dry evergreen forest was estimated at 21.4 individuals per 100 km², and in reforested areas at 7.9 individuals per 100 km², respectively. In the same area in dry dipterocarp forest, only two indivudals were detected and density could not be estimated. On Pulau Tekong, Singapore, a density of 89.4/100 km² was estimated. The few known density estimates suggest higher leopard cat densities in more degraded environments. This is thought to be due to higher rodent densities in such areas. Generally, mainland leopard cat densities are supposed to vary by habitat type and levels of human disturbance which influence resource availability, foraging success and inter-specific competition.
The Mainland leopard cat occurs in south-western India and along the eastern coast, absent in central and northwest India. Its range extends from northern Afghanistan and Pakistan along the Himalayan foothills through northern India, Nepal and Bhutan, through large parts of eastern China and northwards to the Korean peninsula and into the Russian Far East. It is found in most of South-east Asia down to peninsular Malaysia and on the island of Taiwan in a few regions, as well as on small Japanese islands of Tshushima and Iriomote. The Mainland leopard cat is the only wild cat species which is native to Japan. The species has been confirmed in all range countries. It is widespread in Bhutan, China, Nepal, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Republic of Korea and known to be present in the major forest ecosystems of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand. It is the most widespread cat species in Vietnam and Lao PDR. In Russia, the mainland leopard cat only occurs in the Far East region and in Afghanistan and Pakistan only in the north.
Habitat
The leopard cat occurs in a variety of habitats from tropical rainforests to temperate broadleaf and dry coniferous forests. It can also be found in shrub forests and successional grasslands as well as in hilly and mountainous regions, in lowland riparian habitats and agricultural wetlands. Leopard cats are found in the forested regions of eastern Afghanistan. It is found throughout the warmer tropical forests of Southeast Asia all the way to China and Korea. In Russia, it occurs in the deciduous oak forests of southeast Siberia. It is less often found in dry dipterocarp forest. Although dry dipterocarp forests show high rodent abundance, certain species which are among the leopard cat’s main prey items, are less abundant in this habitat. The leopard cat is not usually found in cold steppe grasslands and normally does not inhabit arid zones, although there are a few records from relatively dry and treeless areas in Pakistan. The leopard cat shows some tolerance to habitat disturbance. It can live close to rural settlements and there are records of it using forest fragments for resting and breeding. It is common in dense secondary forest, including logged areas, and has been found in agricultural areas, including plantations (rubber, oil palm, sugarcane, tea, coffee) although animals in these areas might remain somewhat dependent on nearby forest fragments for breeding. However, it has been known to breed in coffee plantations in southern India. On the small island of Pulau Tekong (23.5 km²), Singapore, leopard cats occur at high densities and were only camera trapped within either oil palm plantations or secondary vegetation, but no individual was pictured in both habitats. The leopard cat usually lives close to water sources and can occupy refuge strips of riverine forest in otherwise deforested areas. It is suggested that its habitat use and activity pattern is possibly influenced by resource availability in combination with inter-specific competition.
The leopard cat occurs over a wide elevation range, from sea level to >4,000 m elevation, the latter being in the Himalayas. In the Makalu-Barun National Park in eastern Nepal, a leopard cat was pictured at 3,254 m elevation and in Kangchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal, a leopard cat was detected with camera traps at 4,474 m elevation. The highest record so far comes from Langdu, China, at 4,579 m elevation.
Ecology and Behaviour
The leopard cat is a solitary species but has been observed in pairs or with dependent young. It is mainly described as nocturnal and crepuscular. However, the leopard cat can also be active during the day with males showing more diurnal activity than females. In Thailand, four radio-collared individuals were frequently active during the day. The home ranges of the mainland leopard cat have only been studied in few areas. Individual home range sizes in Thailand varied between 1.5 and almost 40 km². However, average home range sizes in the different study areas ranged between about 3 and 13 km². In South Korea, home range size was 2.6 km² on average. On Iriomote island (300 km²), average home ranges were 3 km² for males and 1.75 km² for females. On Tsushima Island (10 km²), one male had a home range of 0.8 km². Usually, there seems to be no significant difference in the size of home ranges between females and males. However, on Taiwan, the home ranges of two males reached 6.5 km² and 9.5 km², respectively, while those of two females only 1.8 km² and 2.0 km², respectively. The leopard cat tends to use larger home ranges during the wet season. This might be due to seasonal changes in prey availability, e.g. on Taiwan, the spinous country rat showed the highest density during the dry season and was found to be the leopard cat’s main prey species in this area. The leopard cat uses forests and understory for resting and breeding. It is an adept climber and has been spotted resting in trees. The leopard cat is a good swimmer and has successfully colonized offshore islands throughout its range. It hunts on the ground and in trees and it has been kept by humans as a rodent control agent in some areas.
In the northern part of its range, breeding is reported to take place once a year between February and March. In the tropics breeding can occur year-round. Gestation lasts for 56-70 days. The leopard cat is usually sexually mature at around 18 months old, but sometimes as young as eight months.
Prey
The leopard cat’s main prey are rodents such as rats and mice. Its diet also includes young ungulates, hares, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, eels and fish, although the relative importance of each prey species varies across its range. It occasionally takes carrion and poultry.
In studies in Thailand, murids dominated the diet – especially the red spiny rat (Maxomyx surifer) – but the leopard cat also preyed on lizards, amphibians, birds and insects. On Tsushima Island, Japan, as well as on Pulau Tekong, Singapore, rats were also the dominant prey items, but other mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects were also consumed. Similarly, in the Primorsky Region in the Russian Far East, small rodents dominated the diet, especially in the snow-free season. During the snowy season, the frequency of occurrence of ungulates in the leopard cat diet increased significantly. In Khangchenzonga Biosphere Reserve, Sikkim, India, murids dominated the diet, too, followed by pikas. Meanwhile, in Laohegou Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China, pikas were the dominant prey items, followed by rats, mice and voles. In Saihanwula Nature Reserve, Inner Mongolia, China, the leopard cat primarily preyed on birds, specifically partridge. In Pakistan, it has been reported that leopard cats prey predominantly on small birds with mice and flying squirrels also included in their diet to a lesser extent. On Iriomote Island, Japan, diet consisted predominantly of frogs and toads as well as birds and Ryukyu fruit bats.
Two cases of cannibalism were documented in the Primorsky Region, Russian Far East.
Main Threats
The leopard cat seems to be more tolerant to deforestation and habitat alteration than other Asian felids, with the exception of the jungle cat. The leopard cat uses also degraded forest and modified habitats such as oil palm plantations. However, the species is not invulnerable and in some parts of its range, populations are declining due to habitat loss or hunting. Habitat deterioration may be a localised threat to the species. In disturbed regions and areas with greater human activity, it has a higher mortality than in protected areas where survival rates are higher. Leopard cat populations are especially vulnerable on small islands; for instance, the populations on Japan are seriously threatened.
Studies suggest that the leopard cat populations in the north and south of India are not connected and the leopard cat may not occur in central and western India. In the Western Ghats in India, its main threat is urbanisation. The illegal wildlife trade of mainland leopard cats is not well understood. In China, the centre of its range, commercial exploitation has been heavy, especially in the southwest. In the 1980s several hundreds of thousands of furs per year were exported. The average number of furs per year was 150,000 from 1955 to 1981. Chinese exports of leopard cat furs were halted in 1993. Currently, the commercial trade is highly reduced but the leopard cat is still hunted throughout most of its range for its fur and meat or for the pet trade. Illegal trade and hunting has been recorded in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and at the border of Myanmar and Thailand. Its fur and meat is especially popular in China and Japan. It is still commercially traded internationally. In Lao PDR and Vietnam a main threat is direct and indirect hunting. Leopard cats can hybridize with domestic cats and such hybrids are sold on the pet market under the name “Bengal Cat” or “Safari cat”. Hybridisation in the wild has been reported but is not considered a serious threat.
The leopard cat is considered a poultry pest in many areas and killed in retribution. Indiscriminate snares set for other target species are also a serious problem. Hunting and snaring are particularly intense in South-east Asia.
Road mortality may also be a significant threat in parts of its range and is suggested to be the primary threat in South Korea.
In some areas, free roaming dogs and diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus and prey depletion can threaten the mainland leopard cat.
The Iriomote cat is mostly threatened by habitat loss and traffic, but newly introduced exotic animals and the spread of disease are potential threats too. Both, the populations on Iromote Island and on Tsushima Island, show decreased genetic diversity, which may make them susceptible to new pathogens introduced to the islands.
Conservation Effort and Protection Status
The leopard cat is included on CITES Appendix II, and leopard cat populations in Bangladesh, India and Thailand are included in Appendix I (as Prionailurus bengalensis bengalensis). The leopard cat is protected across part of its range. Hunting is prohibited in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Thailand and Taiwan. Hunting and trade are regulated in South Korea, Lao PDR and Singapore. There is no legal protection outside protected areas in Bhutan, China, and Vietnam. The leopard cat is on the protected species list of 2009 in Afghanistan and all hunting and trade is prohibited within the country. In China, the leopard cat is listed as Category II of National Key Protected Wild Animals (2021). There is no information for North Korea. It is found in numerous protected areas.
For the Critically Endangered Iriomote cat, conservation measures have been implemented and it is quite well researched. The population was considered stable, but it is now assumed that increasing tourism and habitat loss are negatively affecting the population.
Further research is needed to better understand its global and regional status, population size and trends as well as the threats and their impacts affecting it. Although it seems to be tolerant to different types and levels of habitat disturbance, the degree of this tolerance is currently unknown.
