Prionailurus bengalensis
(Kerr, 1792). In Linnaeus, Anim. Kingdom. 1:151.


©2002

ORDER—CARNIVORA
FAMILY—Felidae

COMMON NAME—Leopard cat.

DISTRIBUTION—Siberia to Pakistan and Bali In the Philippines, documented only on Negros (FMNH) and Palawan (FMNH), and has been reported from Busuanga, Cebu, and Panay (Taylor, 1934; Timm & Birney, 1980).

HABITAT—Recorded in agricultural habitats and forest from sea level to about 1500 m (Rabor, 1986).

STATUS—Uncommon but widespread; heavily hunted and declining in Philippines.

COMMENT—Prionalurus is now recognized as a genus, rather than a subgenus of Felis (Wozencraft, 1993). Populations from the Palawan Faunal Region are being described as distinct subspecies (Groves, pers. comm.).

COMMENT ADDED IN 2005––Populations from Negros, Cebu, and Panay have been described as P. b. rabori, and from the Palawan Faunal Region as P. b. heaneyi by Groves (1997).


 ©2002 (photograph by P. Heideman)