Prionailurus planiceps

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CARNIVORA	FELIDAE

Scientific Name:

Prionailurus planiceps

Species Authority:

(Vigors & Horsfield, 1827)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Flat-headed Cat
French	–	Chat À Tête Plate
Spanish	–	Gato Cabeciancho

Taxonomic Notes:

One of only two felids lacking any classically described subspecies (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Placed in Prionailurus according to genetic analysis (Johnson et al. 2006, O'Brien and Johnson 2007, Eizirk et al. 2008).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered C1+2a(i) ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Hearn, A., Sanderson, J., Ross, J., Wilting, A. & Sunarto, S.

Evaluator/s:

Nowell, K., Breitenmoser-Wursten, C., Breitenmoser, U. (Cat Red List Authority) & Schipper, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification:
The flat-headed cat has a restricted and patchy distribution around wetlands in lowland forest on the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and the Malayan peninsula. Current status distribution is limited to presence/absence data, and there are few records in comparison with sympatric small felids. Wetland destruction and degradation is the primary threat faced by the species (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Over 45% of protected wetlands and 94% of globally significant wetlands in Southeast Asia are considered threatened (Dugan 1993). Causes include human settlement, draining for agriculture, pollution, and excessive hunting, wood-cutting and fishing. In addition, clearance of coastal mangroves over the past decade has been rapid. The depletion of fish stocks from over-fishing is prevalent and is likely to be a significant threat. Over 1.3 million ha of lowland forest are deforested annually on the island of Borneo, a rate which would result in their disappearance over the next 10-20 years (Rautner et al. 2007). Malaysia and Indonesia are the world's largest producers of palm oil (Koh and Wilcove 2007), and Southeast Asia has had the world's highest deforestation rate for years (FAO 2007). While there have been observations of flat-headed cats in logged areas (Bezuijen 2000, Meijaard et al. 2005) and oil palm plantations (M. Khan in Nowell and Jackson 1996), it is not clear that such modified habitats are suitable for flat-headed cat survival.

Based on rates of habitat loss and the threatened status of many wetlands in its range, a continuing decline in the flat-headed cat population of at least 20% over the next 12 years (two generations) is likely. It is difficult to estimate population size given its patchy distribution and lack of any density estimates, but it is suspected that the effective population size could be fewer than 2,500 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 250 (IUCN Cats Red List Workshop 2007).

History:

2002	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Insufficiently Known (IUCN)
1990	–	Indeterminate (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Indeterminate
1986	–	Indeterminate (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The flat-headed cat has a restricted distribution, found only on Sumatra, Borneo and the Malayan peninsula (Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand). It is a lowland species strongly associated with wetlands (Nowell and Jackson 1996; Sunquist and Sunquist 2002).
Countries:	Native: Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia (Kalimantan, Sumatera); Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak); Thailand
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	The flat-headed cat is closely associated with wetlands and lowland forests, habitats which are increasingly being occupied and modified by people. It has never been studied, there are few records of the species, and it is generally considered rare, with a highly localized distribution around bodies of water (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Anon 1999, Bezuijen 2000, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002, Meijaard et al. 2005, Yasuda et al. 2007, Barita and Boeadi pers. comm.2006). Although fishermen along the Merang river in south Sumatra (which has relatively intact peat forests) described it as common (Bezuijen 2000), they tend to use a single generic term for both flat-headed and leopard cats Prionailurus bengalensis, a more abundant species (Bezuijen 2003).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Population:

The flat-headed cat is closely associated with wetlands and lowland forests, habitats which are increasingly being occupied and modified by people. It has never been studied, there are few records of the species, and it is generally considered rare, with a highly localized distribution around bodies of water (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Anon 1999, Bezuijen 2000, Sunquist and Sunquist 2002, Meijaard et al. 2005, Yasuda et al. 2007, Barita and Boeadi pers. comm.2006). Although fishermen along the Merang river in south Sumatra (which has relatively intact peat forests) described it as common (Bezuijen 2000), they tend to use a single generic term for both flat-headed and leopard cats Prionailurus bengalensis, a more abundant species (Bezuijen 2003).

Population Trend:

Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Very little is known about this species, with only a handful of observations and camera trap records. Available information suggets that, like its close relative the fishing cat, the flat-headed cat is strongly associated with wetlands and preys primarily on fish. Stomach contents of two dead animals contained mostly fish, and also shrimp shells. They may also take birds and small rodents, and have been reported to prey on domestic poultry (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Most records for the flat-headed cat are from swampy areas, lakes and streams, and riverine forest (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Yasuda et al. 2007). They also occcur in peat-swamp forest (Bezuijen 2000), and have been observed in recently logged forest (Bezuijen 2000, Bezuijen 2003, Meijaard et al. 2005). All published observations of live animals have taken place at night or early morning, near water (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Bezuijen 2000, Bezuijen 2003, Meijaard et al. 2005, Yasuda et al. 2007). The flat-headed cat takes its name from its unusually long, sloping snout and flattened skull roof, with small ears set well down the sides of its head. It has large, close-set eyes, and relatively longer and sharper teeth than its close relatives. Its claws do not fully retract into their shortened sheaths, and its toes are more completely webbed than the fishing cat's, with long narrow foot pads. Muul and Lim (1970), commenting on the cat's feet and other features, termed it the ecological counterpart of a semi-aquatic mustelid.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

Very little is known about this species, with only a handful of observations and camera trap records. Available information suggets that, like its close relative the fishing cat, the flat-headed cat is strongly associated with wetlands and preys primarily on fish. Stomach contents of two dead animals contained mostly fish, and also shrimp shells. They may also take birds and small rodents, and have been reported to prey on domestic poultry (Nowell and Jackson 1996).

Most records for the flat-headed cat are from swampy areas, lakes and streams, and riverine forest (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Yasuda et al. 2007). They also occcur in peat-swamp forest (Bezuijen 2000), and have been observed in recently logged forest (Bezuijen 2000, Bezuijen 2003, Meijaard et al. 2005). All published observations of live animals have taken place at night or early morning, near water (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Bezuijen 2000, Bezuijen 2003, Meijaard et al. 2005, Yasuda et al. 2007).

The flat-headed cat takes its name from its unusually long, sloping snout and flattened skull roof, with small ears set well down the sides of its head. It has large, close-set eyes, and relatively longer and sharper teeth than its close relatives. Its claws do not fully retract into their shortened sheaths, and its toes are more completely webbed than the fishing cat's, with long narrow foot pads. Muul and Lim (1970), commenting on the cat's feet and other features, termed it the ecological counterpart of a semi-aquatic mustelid.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Wetland destruction and degradation is the primary threat faced by the species (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Causes of this destruction include human settlement, draining for agriculture, pollution, and excessive hunting, wood-cutting and fishing. In addition, clearance of coastal mangroves over the past decade has been rapid in Tropical Asia. The depletion of fish stocks from over-fishing is prevalent in many Asian wetland environments and is likely to be a significant threat. Expansion of oil palm plantations is currently viewed as the most urgent threat (IUCN Cats Red List workshop assessment, 2007). Trapping, snaring and poisoning are also threats: E. Bennett (in Sunquist and Sunquist 2002) reported that skins were frequently seen in longhouses in the interior of Sarawak, and flat-headed cats have been captured in traps set out to protect domestic fowl (Nowell and Jackson 1996).

Major Threat(s):

Wetland destruction and degradation is the primary threat faced by the species (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Causes of this destruction include human settlement, draining for agriculture, pollution, and excessive hunting, wood-cutting and fishing. In addition, clearance of coastal mangroves over the past decade has been rapid in Tropical Asia. The depletion of fish stocks from over-fishing is prevalent in many Asian wetland environments and is likely to be a significant threat. Expansion of oil palm plantations is currently viewed as the most urgent threat (IUCN Cats Red List workshop assessment, 2007). Trapping, snaring and poisoning are also threats: E. Bennett (in Sunquist and Sunquist 2002) reported that skins were frequently seen in longhouses in the interior of Sarawak, and flat-headed cats have been captured in traps set out to protect domestic fowl (Nowell and Jackson 1996).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Included on CITES Appendix I. The species is fully protected by national legislation over its range, with hunting and trade prohibited in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand (Nowell and Jackson 1996). It is known to occur in Berbak (Bezuijen 2000), Way Kambas (Anon 1996), Batang Gadis (Barita pers. comm.2006) and Kerinci Seblat National Parks (M. Linkie pers. comm. 2008) in Sumatra; the Danum Valley (Hearn et al. 2007) and Tabin (Yasuda et al. 2007) Wildlife Reserves and Kinabatangang Willdlife Sanctuary in Sabah (Lackman-Ancrenaz and Ancrenaz 1997); Bukit Sarang Conservation Area in Sarawak (Giman pers. comm. 2006); Kutai and Kayan Mentarang National Parks (Wulfraat and Samso 2000) and Bukit Suharto Protection Forest in Kalimantan, and the Phru Tao Dang Peat Swamp Forest protected area in southernmost Thailand (Nowell and Jackson 1996). There are no known protected areas from Peninsular Malaysia, and in Brunei it has been recorded from the Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park (Yasuda et al. 2007). Conservation of this species depends on adequate habitat protection, and better understanding of its distribution, status and ecology.

Conservation Actions:

Included on CITES Appendix I. The species is fully protected by national legislation over its range, with hunting and trade prohibited in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand (Nowell and Jackson 1996). It is known to occur in Berbak (Bezuijen 2000), Way Kambas (Anon 1996), Batang Gadis (Barita pers. comm.2006) and Kerinci Seblat National Parks (M. Linkie pers. comm. 2008) in Sumatra; the Danum Valley (Hearn et al. 2007) and Tabin (Yasuda et al. 2007) Wildlife Reserves and Kinabatangang Willdlife Sanctuary in Sabah (Lackman-Ancrenaz and Ancrenaz 1997); Bukit Sarang Conservation Area in Sarawak (Giman pers. comm. 2006); Kutai and Kayan Mentarang National Parks (Wulfraat and Samso 2000) and Bukit Suharto Protection Forest in Kalimantan, and the Phru Tao Dang Peat Swamp Forest protected area in southernmost Thailand (Nowell and Jackson 1996). There are no known protected areas from Peninsular Malaysia, and in Brunei it has been recorded from the Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park (Yasuda et al. 2007). Conservation of this species depends on adequate habitat protection, and better understanding of its distribution, status and ecology.

Citation:	Hearn, A., Sanderson, J., Ross, J., Wilting, A. & Sunarto, S. 2008. Prionailurus planiceps. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2010.
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