IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Wilting, A.; Brodie, J.; Cheyne, S.; Hearn, A.; Lynam, A.; Mathai, J.; McCarthy, J.; Meijaard, E.; Mohamed, A.; Ross, J.; Sunarto, S.; Traeholt, C. | |
| _Prionailurus planiceps_, flat-headed cat | |
| 2015 Full Book | |
The Flat-headed Cat has a restricted and patchy distribution around wetlands in lowland forest on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and the Malayan Peninsula. It was formerly also distributed in southern Thailand but the last confirmed observation was almost 20 years ago (Wilting et al. 2010). Current status distribution is limited to presence data, and there are few records in comparison with sympatric small felids. The extent to which this reflects patterns of survey design and effort rather than patterns of distribution is unclear. Wetland destruction and degradation and the very high deforestation rate in southeast Asia is the primary threat faced by the species (Wilting et al. 2010). Since 2010 there have been few new photo captures of this species with camera traps. The reason for this can be due to the special wetland-based ecology of the species, but as they have been previously photographed on main roads, as well as in the forest and along trails, it is believed unlikely to be the sole reason. It was photographed only a few times in the Kinabatangan area of Sabah, of Borneo (an area thought to have the best habitat for the species), despite hundreds of camera traps (A. Hearn pers. comm. 2014). Over 45% of protected wetlands and 94% of globally significant wetlands in Southeast Asia are considered threatened (Dugan 1993) and although the situation today is unknown, it is unlikely to be radically better and may be much worse. Causes include human settlement, draining for agriculture, pollution, and excessive hunting, wood-cutting and fishing. In addition, clearance of coastal mangroves over the past decade has been rapid. While there have been observations of the Flat-headed Cat in secondary forests (Bezuijen 2000, Meijaard et al. 2005, Mohamed et al. 2009), Wilting et al. (2010) could not find any support that the Flat-headed Cat can also live in oil palm plantations. According to Peninsula (Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand). It is a lowland species strongly associated with wetlands (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002). The range map is adapted from Wilting et al. (2010) and from data of the Borneo Carnivore Symposium; Wilting et al. (2010) and Wilting et al. (in revision) include other more detailed maps._ _ |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |