Asiatic Golden Cat

About Asiatic Golden Cat:

• It is a medium sized cat with relatively long legs.
• Other names:They are known as the “fire cat” in Thailand and Burma, and as the “rock cat” in parts of China.
• Appearance: Their fur ranges in color from cinnamon to various shades of brown, and also gray and black (melanistic).
• They are solitary and territorial. Once considered nocturnal, a radio-tracking study showed them to be diurnal and crepuscular.
• These are polygynous (mating with multiple females) with no breeding season.
• Habitat: This cat is known to occur across a wide range of habitats, including dry deciduous forests, subtropical evergreen forests, tropical rainforests, temperate and sub-alpine forests, and at elevations ranging from 0 m to 3,738 m.
• Distribution: The species occurs in Southeast Asia, from Nepal and Tibet to Southern China, Sumatra and India.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Near threatened
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972: Schedule 1
• Threats: Habitat destruction that follows deforestation, as well as a decreasing numbers of ungulate prey. Another major threat is the illegal wildlife trade.