
	SIZE The Jungle Cat is similar looking to the African Wildcat however it is much larger and taller. Females average around 6kg and males 9kg. NAME The name Felis Chaus was derived from the Caucasus Mountains where the Jungle Cat was first discovered. Although called the Jungle Cat in Asia, it is commonly known as the Swamp Cat or Reed Cat in Africa (subspecies Felis chaus nilotica) due to its occurrence in wet habitats. IDENTIFICATION The Jungle Cat’s plain coat varies from sandy yellow to reddish in its southern range to shades of grey in the north. There are light brown stripes on the legs and a few rings on tail which has a dark tip. The rounded ears have short tufts of black hair on the tips. More... BEHAVIOUR Jungle Cats feed mainly on small rodents, birds, hares, fish and reptiles. They are often active in the daytime and are unusually good swimmers. In the wild they make use of the disused burrows of other animals but with the loss of habitat they are increasingly being sighted near human settlements. Watch a video...


	HIGHLIGHTS Mostly Asia range Active day & night *Strong swimmers


	Jungle Cat on the Web IUCN Cat Specialist Group Big Cats Online International Society for Endangered Cats


	DISTRIBUTION The Jungle Cat is widespread in Asia with the extreme edge of its range in north east Africa. The ten subspecies occur across Egypt, Israel, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, S. Russia, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Western China. In its African range the Jungle Cat is associated with reeds and long grasses in wet habitats, however in Asia it occurs in dry grasslands, tropical deciduous forest and evergreen forest. HISTORY The Jungle Cat was tamed by ancient Egyptians to hunt wildfowl and has been featured in Egyptian art. A few mummified remains have been found in tombs.