28.12.2025 18:10
The flat-headed cat, considered one of the wild cat species that is extremely rare to see in the world and is endangered, has been spotted in Thailand for the first time in about 30 years. The existence of this species, which has long been thought to be extinct in the country, has been confirmed by conservation authorities.
The flat-headed cat, which experts thought had gone extinct, has reappeared after 30 years. The sighting of this mysterious species, which is among the world's rarest and most endangered wild cat species, in Thailand has generated great excitement in both the scientific community and conservation circles.
Flat-headed cats are among the most endangered wild felids in the world. According to estimates by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are only about 2,500 of these cats left in the wild. This rare species, which is the size of a domestic cat, is distinguished by its round, closely set eyes.
HABITATS UNDER THREAT
Flat-headed cats, which live only in Southeast Asia, typically inhabit dense wetland ecosystems such as peat swamps and freshwater mangroves. However, these habitats are under serious threat.
Kaset Sutasha, a veterinarian and researcher from Kasetsart University, noted that the peat swamp forests in Thailand have been largely fragmented due to land conversion and agricultural expansion. He pointed out that this situation is increasingly narrowing the habitats of flat-headed cats.
Authorities emphasized that the last confirmed record of a flat-headed cat in Thailand dates back to 1995, highlighting the significance of the new sighting for both the scientific community and conservation efforts.