Jungle Cat Key Facts
* Mostly Asia range
* Active day & night
* Strong swimmers
Jungle Cat Facts
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Felis chaus
COMMON NAMES
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.
NAME ORIGIN
The name Felis chaus was derived from the Caucasus Mountains where the Jungle Cat was first discovered.
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.
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 the tail which has a dark tip.
The Jungle Cat is widespread in Asia with the extreme edge of its range in north east Africa.
UNIQUE BEHAVIOR
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.
Further Information
The following professional organizations have well researched and accurate information on Jungle Cats:
- Conservation Status - IUCN Red List
- Detailed Account - IUCN Cat Specialist Group
- Academic Literature pdf - IUCN Cat Specialist Group
- Research - Wild Cat Family
- Species Overview - International Society for Endangered Cats (ISEC)
- Fact File pdf - Arkive Wildscreen
Video: Jungle Cat Species Spotlight by Big Cat Rescue
