Living in seclusion in the harsh, remote reaches of southern Siberia is a largely forgotten animal: the Pallas cat. These reclusive creatures have been hunted nearly to extinction, thanks to their thick fur, but Russian ecologists are finally gaining some ground in the fight to save the Pallas cat.
Sailyugemsky Nature Park in the Altai Mountains is a new preserve dedicated to the protection of the few remaining Pallas cats and will feature monitoring stations equipped with cameras to aid in observations. Scientists hope to calculate how many cats are living in the 12 square mile park, as well as to have the chance to observe the behavior of this elusive feline.
A native to Siberia, central Asia, and China, the Pallas cat avoids humans and prefers to lead a solitary life away from populated areas. They are also known as manul cats, a derivative of their scientific name. Little is known about this species, which looks much like an extremely fluffy housecat. Weighing between 5 and 9 pounds, the Pallas cat’s main source of food is the pika, a tiny mammal related to the rabbit. Widespread eradication of the pika, which is thought by farmers to carry disease, is another factor in the decline of Pallas cat populations.
Current information is outdated and limited according to researcher Alexey Kuzhlekov, one of the few scientists studying this endangered species. “It hasn’t been updated over the last three or four decades,” Kuzhlekov says. The rarity of the Pallas cat has hindered efforts to raise awareness. Scientists studying this cat hope that new information will lead to programs designed to increase their population, as well as more regulations to protect them from poachers, their primary enemy.
If there’s any doubt how adorable the poofy Pallas cat is, take a look at this rare video of a group of kittens practicing their unusual stalking technique in the hills of Mongolia.
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Featured Image from PaniYani/Shutter Stock
