The Iriomote cat is a critically endangered small wild cat. It is a subspecies of the leopard cat that can only be found on the Japanese island of Iriomote. There are less than 110 Iriomote cats still living in the wild. The cat was first discovered in 1965 by author Yukio Togawa (African Animals).
The secret to the survival of the Iriomote cat is the biodiversity of the island on which they live and their evolutionary adaptation to this habitat.
Most of the world’s small wildcat species eat small mammals such as mice and rabbits. However, on a small island like Iriomote, prey populations are limited as there are not many small mammals. Consequently, Iriomote cats feed on a wide variety of creatures including lizards, snakes, frogs, insects such as crickets, fruit bats, birds and freshwater prawns. Feeding on such a diverse range of prey is a unique characteristic and is only seen in Iriomote cats.
The Iriomote wildcat is critically endangered, with only about 90 to 110 remaining on its tiny island home.
As Japan moves to make Iriomote Island a World Heritage Site, locals fear that tourists will overrun their remote paradise and impact their critically endangered feline neighbors.
One of the main threats to cats are passing cars and knocking cats to death on the roads.
What do you think should be done today to ensure the survival of a unique felid species?