Rare, Flat-Headed Cat Nears Extinction: Big Pic
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March 17, 2010 -- This flat-headed cat is one of the most elusive felines on the planet, and may soon be extinct.
A native of southeast Asia, the cat, Prionailurus planiceps, is threatened by deforestation. About 70 percent of its natural habitat has already been cleared to make way for plantations, according to a new study published in the journal PLoS One.
The flat-headed cat is a resident of lowland and swampy areas of southern Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. It weighs up to two kilograms (4.4 pounds) and has webbed feet, which it uses to hunt fish and crabs.
Habitat loss as well as pollution of freshwater sources have raised concerns over its conservation status. Overfishing and hunting has also threatened populations of this species.
Although there is little documentation of this elusive feline, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List currently identifies the species as endangered. According to the study's authors, large-scale survey efforts are urgently needed to not only catalog the number of flat-headed cats left in the wild, but also help to guide conservation efforts.
Image credit: PLoS One
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