Pallas' Cat Otocolobus manul

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Pallas’ cats were named after a German naturalist, Peter Pallas, who described much of the Russian fauna. Russians call it the manul, which is also the Mongolian name for these cats. They are also called the steppe cat and the rock wildcat.

Early scientists erroneously suggested these cats were the ancestor of domestic Persian cats. They are said to have a fierce temperament in captivity, although some individuals raised from kittens can be quite affectionate.

These small cats have a stocky body with thick soft fur and an abundant dark, woolly underfur which is double the length of that on the rest of the body. The colour varies from a light grey to a yellowish buff and russet red, with the white tips of the hair producing a frosted appearance. There are some faint stripes along the sides of the body (more visible on the summer coat), and the fur on the underside is darker and longer than that above.Pallas’ cats look much heavier than they really are due to their stocky build and thick coat.

Their head is round and broad with scattered black spots on the forehead, and two distinct parallel black bars on each cheek. The large, owl-like eyes are yellow, and the pupils contract into small circles instead of the usual vertical slits. The ears are short, rounded, and set low on the sides of the head. They are buff on the backs. The legs are short and stout, and the tail is thickly furred with a broad terminal black band, and five to six narrow rings along it.

Ranging throughout Central Asia, Iran, Siberia & Tibet, Pallas' cats are well adapted to their habitat of rolling steppe, alpine desert and rocky country in central Asia. They have been observed at altitudes of 4,000 to 5,050 metres.Preliminary data from The Mongolian Carnivore Project indicates home range sizes of 12.5 - 15.2 sq. km for males and 5.8 sq km for females.

Their thick fur coat insulates them against the cold, and the well furred tail can be wrapped around the body like a warm muff. The well developed nictitating membrane (third eyelid) may afford protection against both the cold winds and the regular dust storms which arise in parts of their range. They are able to climb rocky crevices and cliff faces with ease. The flat head and low set ears are thought to be adaptations for stalking prey in open areas with relatively little cover.

These cats feed on a variety of small mammals including pikas, voles, marmots and ground squirrels, as well as a number of different birds including larks, sandgrouse and ptarmigan. They hide away for much of the day in caves or hollows under stones, or may adopt the burrows of other creatures such as marmots or foxes.

Researchers have discovered DNA or dietary data is difficult to obtain from faeces, as the cats bury them. A small sample size has indicated Pallas' cats occasionally prey on argali sheep lambs.

Their mating call is said to resemble a cross between the bark of a small dog and the hoot of an owl. The duration of oestrous in females is thought to be short, and sexual receptivity does not exceed 42 hours in captive studied females. Gestation has been measured between 66 and 75 days in captivity, and kittens have been born in late April and May in Siberia. The litter size is one to six, usually three or four. Kittens have a dark, woolly coat without the frosted appearance of the adults. The striping on the sides is more pronounced in kittens and fades as they grow. They moult their juvenile coat around two months of age, at which time they weigh 500 - 600 grams. They achieve adult size and weight around eight months of age. Pallas’ cats have lived up to 12 years of age in captivity.

The fur of the Pallas’ cat is luxuriant and valued on local fur markets where it goes into the sewing of caps, dress collars and ladies fur coats. These cats are supposedly protected because of the rodent killing they do around human habitations, but many of the furs remain within the local populace The fur is prized for its warmth and durability.

In Mongolia, Pallas' cats are threatened by over-hunting and poaching, with pelts being sold to Chinese traders. Furs sell from US$10 to $15, and are manufactured into hats and coats for Russian and Chinese markets.The national law governing wildlife stipulates these cats may be hunted for "household purposes" provided that hunters obtain a permit, but wildlife laws in Mongolia are not well enforced.

Pallas' cats are also sought for the live trade, with international traders willing to pay up to US$100 for live cats that are illegally exported to China. Herders also use Pallas' cat body parts locally for medicinal purposes, such as using the fat to sooth and relieve frostbite.

Disease also plays a threat to the future of wild Pallas' cats. Toxoplasmosis occurs in free ranging cats in Mongolian nature reserves. Feral domestic cats in the area may be acting as vectors for a variety of diseases fatal to the Pallas' cat.

Poisoning to control pika populations has taken place on a large scale in parts of Russia and China. These ongoing campaigns eliminate much of the natural prey of the Pallas' cat.

Pallas' cats have disappeared in recent years from much of the Caspian region and have been eliminated from the eastern - most part of their range. The best hope for Pallas’ cat is that the inaccessibility and desolation of their habitat will help keep their numbers from being too decimated. Hunting is prohibited (but unregulated) over most of their range, with no information available from Afghanistan, Georgia and Tajikistan. CITES has placed these little cats on Appendix II.

Updated April 2009: Pallas' Cat Ecology & Conservation in the Semi-Desert Steppes of Mongolia. J.D. Murdoch, T Munkhzul & R.P Reading. IUCN/SSC Cat News Autumn 2006