Photo credit: Terry Whittaker
The Marbled Cat, Pardofelis marmorata, is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. This enigmatic predator is found from northern India and Nepal, through south-eastern Asia to Borneo and Sumatra.
The Marbled Cat is primarily diurnal, although it is also active at night. It is thought to be rare throughout its range, although infrequent encounters may be attributable to its reclusive nature and remote forest habitat. In particular, it is the Marbled Cat’s affinity for arboreality (spending most or all of its time in trees) that makes encounters so rare when compared with, for example, the Clouded Leopard or Leopard Cat. The major threat to this species is believed to be the widespread destruction of forest habitat throughout Southeast Asia, which also reduces its prey base.
The Marbled Cat occurs in a number of protected areas and hunting is prohibited or regulated throughout much of its range. However, with so little known about this species, further investigation into its status in the wild, and the degree to which it can tolerate loss and disturbance of its forest habitat, is urgently needed.
Geographic Range of the Marbled Cat
Credit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
To learn more about the Marbled Cat, click here. Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.
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