Hidden in the mountains, it is as famous as tigers and leopards. It is the "chameleon" and "living radar" of the cat family!

Recently, an infrared camera recorded the activities of a golden cat in a forest at an altitude of 4,415 meters in the Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon National Nature Reserve in Medog, Tibet. In the video, an adult golden cat, much larger than an ordinary domestic cat, kept looking around on the ridgeline of an alpine meadow, and then slowly walked in front of the camera, breaking the previous record of golden cat activities at an altitude of 4,300 meters in Jiali County, Nagqu City, becoming the highest distribution altitude of golden cats in the world so far.

Golden cat activity image captured by infrared camera in Medog, Tibet (from Shanshui Nature Conservation Center)

The soft and cute cats in our impression can actually survive in the high-altitude cold environment. Who exactly are golden cats?

It is understood that the golden cat, also known as the Asian golden cat, is a first-class protected animal in my country. It usually lives in low-altitude forests and shrubs. Due to its thick fur and environmental adaptability, it is occasionally found in areas above 4,000 meters above sea level. In recent years, due to the continuous decline in population, the golden cat has been listed in the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. In addition, due to its low distribution density, small number, secretive activities and lack of research, the golden cat has become one of the least known cats to date.

The rumored "King of Beasts"

There have been many wild stories about the mysterious golden cat since ancient times. Some ethnic groups in southwest my country describe the golden cat as the king of beasts that sucks the brain of tigers and digs the buttocks of elephants. Because of its appearance, it is also known as the "yellow tiger" or "yellow leopard". In Thailand, it is said that burning a handful of golden cat hair can scare away tigers, and it is called the "fire tiger". Many scholars believe that the prototype of the mysterious animal "Biao" ranked between tigers and leopards in Han culture is the golden cat.

Golden cat photographed at Edinburgh Zoo (Karen Stout / Flickr)

The image of the golden cat is made up of its tiger-like and leopard-like appearance, ferocious temperament and powerful hunting ability. But is this really the case?

It is understood that the relationship between carnivores distributed in the same area is usually related to their weight ratio: when the weight ratio of one carnivore to another exceeds 2:1 and is less than 5.4:1, it often forms a significant suppression on the latter. The average weight of a golden cat is 15 kg, which is just between large and medium-sized carnivores. The South China tiger, which is smaller than a tiger, weighs more than 100 kg. Even leopards, which are closer in size to golden cats, have an average weight of more than 30 kg. As both are carnivores, the overwhelming advantage caused by weight determines that it is difficult for golden cats to compete with tigers and leopards.

"Forest War God" is well deserved

Although it cannot compete with tigers and leopards, as a typical carnivore, the golden cat hunts a wide range of prey and uses a variety of hunting methods, earning it the reputation as the "God of War in the Forest."

Golden cats prefer to hunt on the ground. Because they are good at climbing trees, they sometimes climb to high places to catch birds. Hares, birds, snakes, fish, even antelopes, deer, and wild boar cubs are all its meals.

Golden cats have a good sense of smell and hearing, just like the "live radar" of cats. Unlike the perception of "night owls", golden cats prefer to be active during the day, and early morning and dusk are their killing time. After locking onto the prey, under the cover of the night, the golden cat cleverly leaps and quickly kills by biting the neck. Infrared cameras deployed by researchers in the wild have repeatedly recorded precious images of golden cats hunting gorals that are larger than themselves.

In a certain range of activity, as the number of top predators such as tigers and leopards decreases or even disappears, it is not impossible for golden cats to take their place and dominate the area.

The infrared camera at the Giant Panda National Park captured a golden cat eating a goral (from the Taohuayuan Laohegou Conservation Center)

The chameleon of cats

Cats are generalists in terms of habitat, and golden cats are no exception. However, the uniqueness of golden cats is that their fur color changes with the changes in the environment, making them the "chameleon" of cats.

In recent years, the exact records of golden cat distribution have been found in northern and western Sichuan, southern Shaanxi, western and southern Yunnan, and southeastern Tibet. The distribution area of ​​golden cats often overlaps with tigers and leopards. At the same time, they rarely conflict with other predators and avoid humans. Changing color is an effective way for them to protect themselves.

Golden cats in different colors captured by infrared cameras

In general, the higher the altitude and the colder the climate, the higher the proportion of golden cats with spotted colors; while the lower the altitude and the more humid and hot the climate, the higher the proportion of black golden cats. The study believes that this may be related to the vegetation color at different altitudes and regions. The mixed forests in the high-cold areas and the changing fur colors are conducive to concealment, while black fur is convenient for hiding under the dark rainforest.

At present, at least six types of golden cat piebald colors have been discovered, including brown, reddish brown, piebald and black. Due to the variety of piebald colors, golden cats have also derived many nicknames, such as "sesame leopard", "red toon leopard", "flowered golden cat", "clouded leopard" and so on.

Protecting golden cats is urgent

According to the 1998 edition of the China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals, the population of golden cats in my country is only 3,000 to 5,000, and there has been no updated population statistics since then. A study published in Global Ecology and Conservation in 2021 pointed out that in the past 20 years, the geographical distribution range of golden cats in the tropical region of the continent has decreased by 68%, which is not only more serious than the 20% to 30% decline estimated in the past, but is also expected to decrease by 18% in the next 20 years. Habitat loss and fragmentation caused by human activities, as well as illegal poaching, are all important factors in the decline of the golden cat population.

Protecting golden cats is urgent.

In fact, scientists have tried to artificially breed golden cats by establishing a stable artificial population of golden cats, but this is difficult to achieve due to the sensitive and irritable nature of golden cats during the breeding season. In recent years, it has become an important means to continuously maintain and expand the monitoring network based on infrared cameras, and to carry out special scientific research and a series of protection actions in combination with various multidisciplinary investigation and research methods. In addition, habitat restoration and reconstruction, popularization of laws to combat poaching, etc. are all effective ways to protect golden cats.

I believe that with the joint efforts of human society, the golden cat can be downgraded from "endangered" to "vulnerable" like the giant panda.