Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii)

Asian Golden Cat Photograph by OpenCage. Some rights reserved.

Description

Asian golden cats are variable in colour and can be golden brown, reddish or grayish brown. The fur is moderately long, dense and coarse. The coat markings vary according to geographic region . The underside of the tail is white and may be used for signaling. In the northern part of its range, Asian golden cats have a spotted pattern. Almost all golden cats have a pattern of black and white streaks on the face and forehead.

Size

Total length: 73cm - 105cm. Males are larger than females. Tail length: 43cm - 56cm (the tail is about 1/2 to 2/3 the body length). Weight: 8kg - 15kg

Habitat

dry deciduous forest, tropical rainforest, sometimes rocky open habitat

Food

Asian golden cats are carnivorous and eat small animals such as hares, small deer, birds, lizards. They often hunt larger prey in pairs and sometimes kill sheep, goats, and buffalo calves.

Breeding

Asian Golden Cats breed in hollow trees, among rocks, or in hollows in the ground. A litter of one to nine (average 4 or 5) kittens is produced after a gestation period of about 95 days. The young weigh about 250 g at birth.

Range

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia (Sumatra), Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam.

Conservation Status

The conservation status in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals is "near threatened".

Classification Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Genus: Catopuma Species: temminckii

Asian Golden Cat Photograph by Babirusa. Some rights reserved.