I have always been indebted to Chad Arment, an American researcher who has been responsible for a number of important cryptozoological works over the years. He has always got hold of some of the most important and interesting information before anyone else. Today is no exception:Rare, elusive, and endangered by habitat loss, the bay cat is one of the world's least studied wild cats. Several specimens of the cat were collected in the 19th and 20th Centuries, but a living cat wasn't even photographed until 1998. Now, researchers in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, have managed to capture the first film of the bay cat (Catopuma temminckii). Lasting seven seconds, the video (see link below) shows the distinctly reddish-brown cat in its habitat. Read On and watch video
Catopuma temminckii is the Asian Golden cat. Is the bay cat a subspecies?
ReplyDeleteI checked. The bay cat is in the genus Catopuma (a wonderful name for a genus because it's so descriptive!)
ReplyDeleteThe species I'm finding sources that calling at subspecies of the Asian Golden cat and other that are calling its own species (Catopuma badia).
Amazing! Although not my "favourite" wild small cat, that honour goes to rather less endangered Sand Cat, the Bay Cat is a truly beautiful creature, almost monkey-like I think, but nevertheless a true feline.
ReplyDeleteThe bay cat is a distinct species - related to, but morphologically and genetically distinct from the golden cat.
ReplyDeleteThe article has simply got the species name wrong. It should be Pardofelis badia (previously Catopuma badia).