“The rediscovery is exciting, yet concerning at the same time,” veterinarian and researcher Kaset Sutasha of Kasetsart University told AFP, noting that habitat fragmentation has left the species increasingly “isolated”.
A recently rediscovered flat-headed cat in southern Thailand’s Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo / AFP
It was not immediately clear how many individuals the detections represent, as the species lacks distinctive markings so counting is tricky.
The findings suggest a relatively high concentration of the species, Panthera conservation programme manager Rattapan Pattanarangsan told AFP.
The footage included a female flat-headed cat with her cub – a rare and encouraging sign for a species that typically produces only one offspring at a time.
Nocturnal and elusive, the flat-headed cat typically lives in dense wetland ecosystems such as peat swamps and freshwater mangroves, environments that are extremely difficult for researchers to access, Rattapan said.
Globally, the International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that around 2500 adult flat-headed cats remain in the wild, classifying the species as endangered.
In Thailand, it has long been listed as “possibly extinct”.
Thailand’s peat swamp forests have been heavily fragmented, largely due to land conversion and agricultural expansion, said Kaset, who was not involved in the ecological survey but has researched wild cats for years.
The animals also face mounting threats from disease spread by domestic animals, and they struggle to reproduce across isolated areas.
While the rediscovery offers hope, it is only a “starting point” for future conservation efforts, he said.
“What comes after this is more important – how to enable them to live alongside us sustainably, without being threatened.”
-Agence France-Presse