Endangered And Adorable Chinese Mountain Cats Captured On Tape For The First Time

May 07, 2020 by apost team

A video that has been posted online in 2018 has been considered the first time the Chinese mountain cat has been captured on camera in the wild. The video shows a family of three tiny cats frolicking in the mountains by their den.

The Chinese mountain cat is a very rare and elusive species, and its habitat is only confined to a small area on the Tibetan plateau. Not much is known about them and they have been placed on the IUCN Red List as "Vulnerable." To capture the creatures on camera is truly a once in a lifetime event.

apost.com

This little family was videoed when researchers were in the area studying the Black-Necked Crane. A researcher noticed movement and took a photo, realizing it was the incredibly unique cat, and returned to set up a camera in their area, according to the blog Birding Beijing. We are so glad that they took the time to do so because the results are absolutely heartwarming and adorable.

The cats are small in stature, weighing in at about 10-20 pounds at a length of about 38.5-47 inches, according to Big Cat Rescue. That makes them more similar to the domestic cat that lives with us at home. They were once thought to be a subspecies of the wildcat (Felis Silvestris), but from 2017 it has been classified as a distinct species, according to a study put out by the Cat Specialist Group in CATNews.

What do you think about these rare wild cats? Have you ever experienced a special moment with a rare animal? Tell us about your experiences and pass this story along to fellow animal lovers!