Rare cats: photos and features

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 25 January 2021
Update Date: 16 November 2024
Anonim
Rarest Cats That Exist
Video: Rarest Cats That Exist

Content

If you are a reader of PeritoAnimal, you may have already noticed that we use the term’ felines’ as a synonym for cats. True, every cat is a feline, but not every feline is a cat. The family of felids (Felidae) comprises 14 genera, 41 described species and their subspecies with unimaginable particularities.

For better or worse, you may not have the opportunity to meet many of these species live and in color. To prove that, yes, they (still) exist and are perfect, in this PeritoAnimal post we made a selection of rare cats: photos and their amazing features. Just scroll down and enjoy reading!


Rare felines around the world

Unfortunately, many of the rarest cats in the world are those at risk of extinction or those that live in the most remote areas of the planet:

Amur Leopard (panthera pardus orientalis)

According to the WWF, the Amur leopard may be one of the rarest cats in the world. This leopard subspecies that inhabits the Sijote-Alin Mountains of Russia, regions of China and North Korea, has its conservation status critically threatened. Sighting one of these wild cats is difficult by nature, but when it happens it is usually at night, due to their nocturnal habits.

Java Leopard (panthera pardus melas)

The Java leopard population, native and endemic to the island of the same name in Indonesia, is in a critical state of conservation. At the conclusion of this article, fewer than 250 individuals were estimated to be alive in the island's tropical forests.


Arabian Leopard (panthera pardus nimr)

This leopard subspecies is rare, due to poaching and habitat destruction, and native to the Middle East. Among the leopard subspecies, this is the smallest of them. Even so, it can measure up to 2 meters and weigh up to 30 kg.

Snow Leopard (panthera uncia)

The snow leopard's difference from other subspecies is its distribution zone in mountains of Central Asia. It is a feline so rare that its population is unknown.


Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus)

The Iberian lynx is one of the rare cats most threatened on the planet, according to WWF,[2]due to diseases that caused imbalance in their food chain (they feed on rabbits), roadkill and illegal possession. Naturally, they should be found in forests in southern Europe, as they are an endemic species to the Iberian Peninsula.

Asian cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus)

Also known as the Asian cheetah or Iranian cheetah, this subspecies is in critical danger of extinction, specifically in Iran. Despite being a feline, its body anatomy (thin body and deep chest) can resemble a dog.

South China Tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis)

Among the rare cats, the decline in the southern Chinese tiger population due to an unrestrained hunting season makes the species join the list. Its size can be very reminiscent of the Bengal tiger with some differences in the shape of the skull.

Asian Lion (panthera leo persica)

What makes the Asian lion one of the rare felines is its endangered conservation status. Before specified as Panthera Leo Persica and today how panthera leo leo since the Asian lion was treated as a subspecies and is now treated as the same as the African Lion. The fact is that currently less than a thousand individuals have been counted around the Gir Forest National Park in India.

Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi)

This subspecies of Puma concolor is estimated to be the only surviving breed of cougars in the eastern United States. Efforts have been made to repopulate, but meanwhile, the Florida panther remains one of the rare wild cats to find.

Iriomot Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis)

This cat that lives on a Japanese island of the same name (Iriomote Island) is the size of a domestic cat, but it is wild. Until the conclusion of this article, its population estimate does not exceed 100 living individuals.

Scottish wildcat (felis silvestris staple)

This is a breed of wild cat found in Scotland, whose population probably does not exceed 4,000 individuals. One of the reasons why he is now on the rare feline list is that he crossed with domestic cats and their subsequent hybridization.

Flat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps)

These rare feline species that inhabit the rainforests near fresh water sources in southeastern Malaysia are less and less seen. This is a wild cat with the size of a domestic cat, small ears, brown spots on the top of the head, whose anatomy gives its popular name.

fishing cat (Prionailurus Viverinus)

This felid that occurs in wetlands in Indochina, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and Java is remembered for its aquatic fishing habits that are not always associated with cats. It feeds on fish and amphibians, in general, and dives to get the most distant prey.

Desert cat (Felis Margarita)

The desert cat is one of the rare felines to be spotted just because it inhabits the most inhospitable regions of the planet: deserts of the Middle East. Its most striking features are its eternal puppy appearance due to its small size, its adaptation to extreme desert temperatures and the ability to go many days without drinking water.

Brazilian rare felines

Most of the wild Brazilian felines are also difficult to spot or are at risk of extinction:

Jaguar (panthera onca)

Despite being well known, the jaguar, the largest feline in the Americas and the third largest in the world, is classified as 'almost threatened' as it no longer inhabits many of the regions where it used to live.

Margay (Leopardus wiedii)

It is one of the rare felines to be seen. When that happens, it's usually where it lives: in the Atlantic Forest. It can resemble an ocelot in a miniature version.

haystack cat (Leopardus colocolo)

This is one of the smallest cats in the world and does not exceed 100 cm in length. In other words, it is very similar to domestic cats but it is wild and can be found, in South America, in regions of Pantanal, Cerrado, Pampas or Andean fields.

Pampas cat (Leopardus pajeros)

It can also be called the pampas haystack cat, where it inhabits but is rarely seen. This is one of the rare Brazilian felines and the cause is its extinction risk.

Big wild cat (Leopardus geoffroyi)

This rare nocturnal feline occurs in open forest areas. It can be black or yellowish with spots and has a bearing similar to that of the domestic cat.

Moorish cat (herpaiurus yagouaround)

This is one of the native felids of South America and is also often called black margay or jaguarund. Its long body and tail and short legs and ears and a uniform gray coloration are its hallmarks.

popular cats

The house cat, on the other hand, is one of the most popular cats in the world. In the video below we list some of the most popular cat breeds in the world:

If you want to read more articles similar to Rare cats: photos and features, we recommend that you enter our Endangered Animals section.