Pallas Cat, Nepal Dont forget to watch the amazing video of a collared Pallas Cat in the grasslands of Afghanistan! Dont worry about the language difference, seeing a Pallas hunting in the snow and stalking the grasslands needs no explanation! (see video in comment section). Pallass cat (Otocolobus manul), also called the manul, is a small wild cat having a broad but patchy distribution in the grasslands and montane steppe of Central Asia. The species is negatively affected by habitat degradation, prey base decline, and hunting, and has therefore been classified as Near Threatened by IUCN since 2002. Pallass cat is about the size of a domestic cat, its body is 46 to 65 cm (18 to 26 in) long and its tail is 21 to 31 cm (8.3 to 12.2 in) long. It weighs 2.5 to 4.5 kg (5.5 to 9.9 lb). The combination of its stocky posture and long, dense fur makes it appear stout and plush. Its fur is ochre with dark vertical bars on the torso and forelegs. The winter coat is greyer and less patterned than the summer coat. There are clear black rings on the tail and dark spots on the forehead. The legs are proportionately shorter than those of other cats, the ears are set very low and wide apart, and it has unusually short claws. The face is shortened compared with other cats, giving it a flattened face. The pupils are circular. The shorter jaw has fewer teeth than is usual among felids, with the first pair of upper premolars being absent. Pallass cats are native to the steppe regions of Central Asia, where they inhabit elevations of up to 5,050 m (16,570 ft) in the Tibetan Plateau. They inhabit Mongolia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kashmir, and occur across much of western China. They are also found in the Transbaikal regions of Russia, and less frequently in the Altai, Tyva, and Buryatia Republics. In 1997, they were reported for the first time as being present in the eastern Sayan Mountains. Until the early 1970s, only two Pallass cats were recorded in the Transcaucasus, both encountered near the Araks River in southeastern Armenia, but no records existed from Azerbaijan. Populations in the Caspian Sea region, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, are thought to be declining and becoming increasingly isolated. In 2008, an individual was camera-trapped in Irans Khojir National Park for the first time. In 2012, Pallas cats were recorded by camera traps in Bhutans Wangchuck Centennial Park. This is the first report of Pallas cat occurring in the Eastern Himalayas. In December 2012 and December 2013, Pallas cats were recorded for the first time in Nepal, viz in the Annapurna Conservation Area above 4,200 m (13,800 ft) altitude.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 11:39:08 +0000
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