You may already be familiar with bobcats and lynx, but did you know there are 33 species of small wild cats in the world? In our Small Cat Spotlight blog series, we’re working on chronicling the biology, ecology and conservation goals of these unique, critically important species. So far, we’ve spotlighted six of the world’s small wild cats. Although some are more well-known than others, all are equally important to the ecosystems they inhabit.
Did you know that jaguarundis have been known to catch fish? They are some of the most secretive small cats in the jungles of Central and South America — so don’t miss this rare glimpse into their ecology and biology.
Ranging across much of Central and South America, this cat is vital to the ecosystems it inhabits and is a staple of Panthera’s research in the Americas. In Costa Rica and Brazil, we’ve recently conducted studies on this small cat. Read more about ocelots — and how we can protect them — in this blog.
One of the world’s most endangered cats, flat-headed cats inhabit the jungles of Asia. A cat with eyes that are unusually close together, read this blog to uncover details about its secretive forest life. Flat-headed cats are just one of the five wild cat species we study in Borneo. Learn more here.
In Africa, you’ll find one of the larger species of small cats — the serval. In this eye-opening piece, learn more about this cat, which can jump up to 2 meters in the air to catch birds.
Fishing cats are one of the most prominent small cats in our worldwide conservation efforts. As we collar and track them in Thailand, we hope to learn more about how to best able to protect them from habitat fragmentation. In this blog, see what we already know about this small cat species — dive in!
If you live in North America, you may have seen this widespread species in your own backyard. Bobcats, while much smaller than their puma cousins, inhabit an expansive range alongside this big cat species in Canada, the United States and Mexico. Learn more about its ecological role and threats to the species, including poison, here.
There's more to this grumpy cat than meets the eye. Meet Pallas's cat, one of the most intriguing and secretive small cats of Central Asia. Go beyond its funny face to uncover more about its conservation status and life among the mountains. Click here for more.
This small cat has a big northern domain. Trek into the ice and snow to learn more about the Canada lynx, a medium-sized small cat that lives across a vast expanse of the United States and Canada. Read about this lynx that eats a large quantity of snowshoe hares.
While these high-jumping wild cats are known for catching birds out of thin air, they are a critical part of their ecosystems in Africa and Asia. Read more about their diets, the many types of habitats they live in and why they are one of the most geographically widespread small cat species on Earth.
Here's your crash course on the two different species of clouded leopards: mainland clouded leopards and Sunda clouded leopards. Read more to learn about their evolution, differences, dire conservation status and what Panthera does to protect these iconic small cat species.
Be sure to check our Field Notes Blog often for more updates on small cats.
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© Sebastian Kennerknecht
