Themarbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) is a smallwild cat native from theeastern Himalayas toSoutheast Asia, where it inhabits forests up to an elevation of 2,500 m (8,200 ft). As it is present in a large range, it has been listed asNear Threatened on theIUCN Red List since 2015.[2]
The marbled cat is closely related to theAsian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) and thebay cat (C. badia), all of which diverged from otherfelids about 9.4 million years ago.[3]
The marbled cat is similar in size to adomestic cat, but has rounded ears and a very long tail that is as long as the cat's head and body. The ground colour of its long fur varies from brownish-grey to ochreous brown above and greyish to buff below. It is patterned with black stripes on the short and round head, on the neck and back. On the tail, limbs and underbelly it has solid spots. On the flanks it has irregular dark-edged blotches that fuse to dark areas and look like a 'marbled' pattern. Its paws are webbed between the digits and are completely sheathed.[4]Its coat is thick and soft. Spots on the forehead and crown merge into narrow longitudinal stripes on the neck, and irregular stripes on the back. The legs and underparts are patterned with black dots, and the tail is marked with black spots proximally and rings distally. It has large feet and unusually largecanine teeth, resembling those of the big cats, although these appear to be the result ofparallel evolution. Marbled cats range from 45 to 62 cm (18 to 24 in) in head-body length with a 35 to 55 cm (14 to 22 in) long and thickly furred tail that indicates the cat's adaptation to anarboreal lifestyle, where the tail is used as a counterbalance. Recorded weights vary between 2 and 5 kg (4.4 and 11.0 lb).[5]
In easternNepal, a marbled cat was recorded for the first time in January 2018, outside a protected area in theKangchenjunga landscape at an altitude of 2,750 m (9,020 ft).[6]
InBorneo, it has also been recorded inpeat swamp forest.[12]The population size of the marbled cat is not well understood. Few records were obtained during camera-trapping surveys throughout much of its range. In three areas inSabah, the population density was estimated at 7.1 to 19.6 individuals per 100 km2 (39 sq mi), an estimate that may be higher than elsewhere in the cat's range.[13]InKalimantan, marbled cats were recorded in mixedswamp forest and tall interior forest at altitudes below 20 m (66 ft) in the vicinity ofSabangau National Park between 2008 and 2018.[14]
Marbled cats recorded in northeastern India and Kalimantan on Borneo were active by day.[7][14]
The first-everradio-tracked marbled cat had an overall home range of 5.8 km2 (2.2 sq mi) at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,200 m (3,300 to 3,900 ft) and was active primarily duringnocturnal andcrepuscular times.[11]Marbled cats recorded in northeast India were active during the day with activity peaks around noon.[7]
Forest canopies probably provide the marbled cat with much of its prey: birds,squirrels and otherrodents, and reptiles.[5] In theBukit Barisan Selatan National Park, a marbled cat was observed in a dense forest patch in an area also used bysiamang.[15] In Thailand, one individual has been observed in Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary preying on aPhayre's leaf monkey.[16]
A few marbled cats have been bred in captivity, withgestation estimated to be 66 to 82 days. In the few recorded instances, two kittens were born in each litter, and weighed from 61 to 85 g (2.2 to 3.0 oz). Their eyes open at around 12 days, and the kittens begin to take solid food at two months, around the time that they begin actively climbing. Marbled cats reach sexual maturity at 21 or 22 months of age, and have lived for up to 12 years in captivity.[5]
The primary threat to the marbled cat is loss and degradation of forest as it depends on large tracts of intact forest.[17]Forest loss is continuing across its range due to logging and expansion of human settlements and agriculture.[2] Indiscriminatesnaring is prevalent throughout much of its range, and also likely poses a major threat. It is valued for its skin, meat, and bones, but infrequently observed in theillegal Asian wildlife trade.[2]During a survey in theLower Subansiri District ofArunachal Pradesh, a marbled cat was encountered that had been killed by a local hunter for a festival celebrated by the indigenousApatani people in March and April every year. The dead cat was used in a ceremony, and its blood was sacrificed to the deity for goodwill of their family and for ensuring a good harvest, protection from wildlife, disease and pest.[18]
^Pocock, R. I. (1939)."GenusPardofelis Severtzow".The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Mammalia – Volume 1. London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 253−258.
^Blainville, H. M. D. (1843)."Os du squelette des Felis".Ostéographie ou description iconographique comparée du squelette et du système dentaire des cinques classes d'animaux vertébrés récents et fossils pour servir de base a la zoologie et la géologie. Volume 2: Mammifères. Carnassiers. Paris: Arthus Bertrand. pp. 1–196.
^Kitchener, A. C.; Breitenmoser-Würsten, C.; Eizirik, E.; Gentry, A.; Werdelin, L.; Wilting, A.; Yamaguchi, N.; Abramov, A. V.; Christiansen, P.; Driscoll, C.; Duckworth, J. W.; Johnson, W.; Luo, S.-J.; Meijaard, E.; O'Donoghue, P.; Sanderson, J.; Seymour, K.; Bruford, M.; Groves, C.; Hoffmann, M.; Nowell, K.; Timmons, Z.; Tobe, S. (2017)."A revised taxonomy of the Felidae: The final report of the Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group"(PDF).Cat News (Special Issue 11): 34−35.
^Hemmer, H. (1978). "The evolutionary systematics of living Felidae: Present status and current problems".Carnivore.1:71–79.
^Werdelin, L.; Yamaguchi, N.; Johnson, W. E.; O'Brien, S. J. (2010)."Phylogeny and evolution of cats (Felidae)". In Macdonald, D. W.; Loveridge, A. J. (eds.).Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. pp. 59–82.ISBN978-0-19-923445-5.
