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Well-furred cats from the cold Asian steppes, Pallas’s
Cats Otocolobus manul are also called Manul, Steppe Cat or Rock
Wildcat.
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Distribution Manul occur in Central Asia, from the Caspian
Sea through Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India to
central China, Mongolia and southern Russia.
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Lifestyle
Pallas’s cats are usually nocturnal but may come
out during the day. They move around on their
own in a territory that spans 2 to 3 miles. They den in caves, crevices and burrows made by other animals. The Pallas’s cats’ long, dense fur provides insulation against their snowy environment.
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Food
Pallas’s cat eats small mammals such as rodents
and pikas, and ground-dwelling birds.
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Life Cycle
The Pallas’s cat can usually lives to
be 8 to 10 years old. Females give birth
in late spring to litters of up to six young. In 4 to 6 months, the kittens are mature. Females are ready to be mothers at 1 year of age but little is known about the cats’ mating behavior.
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Some of Neighbors
Gazelles, marmots, gray wolves, saiga antelope,
steppe eagles, maral deer, desert dormouse, marbled polecat, Marco
Polo sheep, great bustard, squirrels
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Population Status & Threats
In the 1900s, fur traders
hunted Pallas’s cats for their fluffy coats. Eventually, laws
were made to protect the cats. The hunt for their fur has slowed but still goes on, threatening the Pallas’s cat’s survival. Efforts to poison pikas to control their population also puts pressure on the cats.
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WCS Conservation Efforts
WCS(Wildlife Conservation Society) is working with
government officials and scientists in Central Asia to eventually
create an International Peace Park that would protect animals in the region.
the inaccessibility and desolation of their habitat will help
keep their numbers from being too decimated. Conservation measures must include improving law enforcement efforts and revamping the hunting permit system.