Asian leopard wiki

The leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis is a small wild cat native to continental South , Southeast , and East Asia. Since it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely distributed although threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range. Historically, the leopard cat of continental Asia was considered the same species as the Sunda leopard cat. As of , the latter is recognised as a distinct species, with the taxonomic name Prionailurus javanensis. Leopard cat subspecies differ widely in fur colour, tail length, skull shape and size of carnassials.

These spotted leopards live in the mountains across a vast range of Asia. They are insulated by thick hair—in shades of gray or creamy yellow and covered with grayish black spots—and their wide, fur-covered feet act as natural snowshoes. Snow leopards have powerful legs and are tremendous jumpers, able to leap as far as 50 feet. These big cats use their long tails for balance and as blankets to cover sensitive body parts against the severe mountain chill.

The leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis is a small wild cat of South and East Asia. Since it has been listed as Least Concern by IUCN as it is widely distributed but threatened by habitat loss and hunting in parts of its range. There are twelve leopard cat subspecies , which differ widely in appearance. The leopard cat's name is derived from the leopard-like spots prevalent in all subspecies, but its relation to the leopard is distant.

The Leopard cat is about the size of a large housecat. The head of the animal is small, eyes are round and the muzzle is short. The pale wool of the animal is generally tawny colored while the belly is white.