Researchers have photographed a rare cat in Thailand that has not been seen in the country for about 30 years. And it’s so adorable.
The flathead cat (Prionailurus planiceps), named for its flat forehead, is scattered across Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, but was feared to be extinct in Thailand.
Researchers rediscovered the cat in Thailand’s Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary in 2024 and 2025 using remote camera traps. This is the first discovery in Thailand since 1995. Cat conservation group Panthera announced the rediscovery on Friday (December 26), which also happens to be Thailand’s annual Wildlife Conservation Day.
you may like
“For decades, the flat-eared wild cat has been classified as ‘likely extinct,’ but after years of continued conservation, strong scientific partnerships, and community management efforts, we can celebrate its return to Thailand on this National Wildlife Day,” Suchat Chomkrin, Thailand’s Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said in a statement.
Flathead cats have webbed feet for traversing wetland habitats such as flooded peat swamp forests, where they are thought to primarily hunt fish. However, researchers know little about their lives. This mysterious cat is the smallest in Southeast Asia, weighing about 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms), smaller than a domestic cat, and is rarely seen by humans.
The last assessment of the species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2014 concluded that the flathead cat is at risk of extinction. They are primarily threatened by the loss and degradation of wetlands and lowland forests, as well as anthropogenic pressures such as overfishing and hunting.
In what Panthera called “the largest species survey in history,” researchers searched for cats in remote areas of Thailand. The study is part of a new IUCN assessment of flathead cats led by Panthera, which Panthera plans to publish in early 2026.
Camera traps photographed several flathead cats, including a female with cubs, showing that the felines not only live in southern Thailand, but also breed in the region.
“The rediscovery of the wild cat in southern Thailand is an important victory for conservation in Thailand and the wider region of Southeast Asia where this species still exists,” Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of Thailand’s National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said in a statement.
Source link
