Bay cat
Bay cat | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Suborder: | Feliformia |
Family: | Felidae |
Subfamily: | Felinae |
Genus: | Catopuma |
Species: | C. badia
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Binomial name | |
Catopuma badia | |
Distribution of bay cat (2016)[1] | |
Synonyms | |
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The bay cat (Catopuma badia), also known as the Bornean bay cat, is a small wild
Taxonomy and evolution
Felis badia was the
Tissue and blood samples were acquired only in late 1992 from the female brought to the
The bay cat's classification as Catopuma was widely recognized until 2006.[8] Because of the evident close relationship of the bay cat and the Asian golden cat with the marbled cat, all three species were suggested in 2006 to be grouped in the genus Pardofelis.[9]
Characteristics
The bay cat's fur is of a bright chestnut colour, but paler beneath, the limbs and the tail being rather paler and more reddish. The ears are rounded, covered with a short blackish-brown fur at the outer side, paler brown within and with a narrow brown margin. The tail is elongated and tapering at the end, with a white central streak occupying the rear half of the lower side, gradually becoming wider and of a purer white towards the tip, which has a small black spot at its upper end.[3]
Its short, rounded head is dark greyish-brown with two dark stripes originating from the corner of each eye, and the back of the head has a dark M-shaped marking. The backs of the ears are dark greyish without any white spot. The underside of the chin is white, and two faint brown stripes are on the cheeks.[10] In the years between 1874 and 2004, only 12 specimens were measured. Their head-to-body length varied from 49.5–67 cm (19.5–26.4 in) with 30–40.3 cm (11.8–15.9 in) long tails.[11] They were estimated to have an adult weight of 3–4 kg (6.6–8.8 lb), but too few living specimens have been obtained to allow a more reliable estimate.[6]
Distribution and habitat
In the 19th century, only seven bay cat skins surfaced, and the first live female caught in 1992 on the
In central Sarawak, only one individual was recorded in more than a year of camera trapping between August 2010 and November 2011 in an area that was regenerating from logging.[15] Most records of the bay cat obtained in Sarawak between 2003 and 2018 were located in lowland riverine and montane forests below 700 m (2,300 ft); its occurrence increased at a distance of 10 km (6.2 mi) away from roads.[16]
In Sabah, a camera trapping survey from July 2008 to January 2009 in the northwestern part of Deramakot Forest Reserve yielded one photo of a male bay cat in an area of about 112 km2 (43 sq mi) in a total survey effort of 1916 camera trap nights. This record expanded the known range of the bay cat to the north.[17] Between May and December 2011, it was also recorded in the Kalabakan Forest Reserve, a highly-disturbed commercial forest reserve that had been logged between 1978 and the early 2000s; natural forest remains in an area of 2,240 km2 (860 sq mi), and large terrain is covered by an oil palm plantation and access roads. The bay cat was photographed off-trail in seven of eight records, indicating that it tends to avoid logged areas.[18] A repeated survey in Kalabakan Forest Reserve in 2018 yielded records in just eight of 74 locations during more than 7,200 camera trap days.[19] One individual was recorded in Danum Valley Conservation Area.[20] Data from 578 camera trapping stations in eight forest reserves and two plantation sites in Sabah revealed that the bay cat inhabits core forest areas with no to little disturbance at elevations of 127–1,051 m (417–3,448 ft), but does not live in plantations.[21]
In Kalimantan, it was recorded in at elevations from 69 to 400 m (226 to 1,312 ft) in Kutai National Park, Wehea Protection Forest and Sungai Wain Protection Forest during surveys in 2012 and 2013.[22] In Central Kalimantan, a single bay cat was recorded in a mosaic of heath and peat swamp forest in the Rungan River catchment area during surveys between 2016 and 2018.[23]
Behavior and ecology
Bay cats recorded in Sabah exhibited a diurnal activity pattern with a peak in the morning and another peak in the early afternoon.[21] Bay cats recorded in nine study areas in both protected and non-protected areas in Sarawak were also diurnal.[16]
In Sarawak, a bay cat was allegedly observed on a branch 1 m (3 ft 3 in) from the ground close to the river during a night hunting expedition.[11] Nothing is known about its diet and reproductive behavior.[10][17][24]
Threats
The bay cat is forest-dependent and increasingly threatened by
Poaching for the illegal wildlife trade also poses a significant threat. Bay cats have been captured in the wild for the trade as pets and skins.[1]
Conservation
The bay cat is listed on
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hearn, A.; Brodie, J.; Cheyne, S.; Loken, B.; Ross, J. & Wilting, A. (2016). "Catopuma badia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T4037A112910221. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ Povey, K.; Sunarto, H. J. G.; Priatna, D.; Ngoprasert, D.; Reed, D.; Wilting, A.; Lynam, A.; Haidai, I.; Long, B.; Johnson, A.; Cheyne, S.; Breitenmoser, C.; Holzer, K. & Byers, O. (2009). Clouded Leopard and Small Felid Conservation Summit Final Report (PDF) (Report). Apple Valley, MN: IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group.
- ^ a b c Gray, J. E. (1874). "Description of a new Species of Cat (Felis badia) from Sarawak". Proceedings of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London for the Year 1874: 322–323.
- .
- ^ Hemmer, H. (1978). "The evolutionary systematics of living Felidae: Present status and current problems". Carnivore. 1 (1): 71–79.
- ^ .
- ISBN 9780792355182.
- OCLC 62265494.
- S2CID 41672825.
- ^ ISBN 0-226-77999-8.
- ^ .
- ^ Meijaard, E. (1997). "The bay cat in Borneo". Cat News (27): 21–23.
- ^ Payne, J. C. M.; Francis, C. M. & Phillipps, K. (1985). A field guide to the mammals of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: The Sabah Society.
- ^ Dinets, V. (2003). "First photo of Bornean bay cat in the wild?". Cat News (38): 14.
- S2CID 210259395.
- ^ .
- ^ a b Mohamed, A.; Samejima, H. & Wilting, A. (2009). "Records of five Bornean cat species from Deramakot Forest Reserve in Sabah, Malaysia". Cat News (51): 12–15.
- ^ PMID 24223717.
- S2CID 234285321.
- .
- ^ .
- ^ a b Sastramidjaja, W.J.; Cheyne, S.; Loken, B. & Macdonald, D.M. (2015). "The bay cat in Kalimantan, new information from recent sightings". Cat News (62): 10–12.
- .
- ^ Nowell, K.; Jackson, P. (1996). "Bornean Bay Cat". Wild Cats: status survey and conservation action plan. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group.
- ^ Rautner, M.; Hardiono, M. & Alfred, R. J. (2005). Borneo: Treasure Island at Risk. Status of Forest, Wildlife, and related Threats on the Island of Borneo (PDF) (Report). Frankfurt am Main: WWF Germany.
External links
- "Bornean Bay Cat". IUCN Cat Specialist Group.
- Atwood, A. "The Bay Cat: Jungle Creature That Eluded Scientists Finally Caught On Film". Animals Guide.
- "In images: The rare Bay Cat of Borneo". Live Science. 2014.