Asian golden cat

Felis temminckii was the scientific name used in 1827 by Nicholas Aylward Vigors and Thomas Horsfield who described a reddish brown cat skin from Sumatra. Felis moormensis proposed by Brian Houghton Hodgson in 1831 was a young male cat caught alive by Moormi hunters in Nepal. Felis tristis proposed by Alphonse Milne-Edwards in 1872 was a spotted Asian golden cat from China. Although briefly classified under the genus Pardofelis in 2007, a taxonomic revision determined that this species is retained in the genus Catopuma. This decision was based on morphological analysis showing that its skull structure, as well as the characteristics of its legs and tail, differ from other species within the genus Pardofelis. It was subordinated to the genus Catopuma proposed by Nikolai Severtzov in 1853. Two subspecies have been recognised as valid since 2017: • C. t. temminckii occurs in Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula • C. t. moormensis occurs from Nepal eastwards to Southeast Asia This recognition was based on molecular genetic analysis that identified Kra Isthmus the as the geographic barrier separating them. Phylogeny Phylogenetic analysis of the nuclear DNA in tissue samples from all Felidae species revealed that the evolutionary radiation of the Felidae began in Asia in the Miocene around . Analysis of mitochondrial DNA of all Felidae species indicates a radiation at around .The Asian golden cat forms an evolutionary lineage together with the bay cat (C. badia) and the marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata), which diverged from a common ancestor between , based on analysis of their nuclear DNA. All these species are grouped within the bay cat lineage. Analysis of their mitochondrial DNA indicates a genetic divergence from their common ancestor between .Both models agree that the marbled cat is the first species of this lineage that diverged, while the Asian golden cat and the bay cat diverged from each other about during the Last Glacial Maximum The divergence between the Asian golden cat and the bay cat is estimated to have occurred during the late Pliocene, approximately 3.16 million years ago, which is more recent than previous estimates. This process was driven by rising sea levels that submerged the Kra Isthmus, geographically dividing mainland Southeast Asia from the Sunda Shelf and diverging the two species. The southern population located on the Sunda Shelf evolved into the bay cat, becoming highly dependent on tropical rainforest refugia that shrank due to climate change during the Last Glacial Maximum. In contrast, the northern population in mainland Southeast Asia evolved into the more adaptable Asian golden cat, which subsequently expanded southward to the Sunda Shelf such as Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula by utilizing land bridges available during the Pleistocene glacial periods. The following cladogram shows the phylogenetic relationships of the Asian golden cat: ==Characteristics==

(top) , India The Asian golden cat is a medium-sized cat with a head-to-body length of , with a long tail, and is tall at the shoulder. Its weight ranges from , which is about two or three times that of a domestic cat (Felis catus). The size of the tail is around one third and half of the body size. It exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being smaller than males. The Asian golden cat has facial markings featuring white stripes edged in dark brown or black that stretch from the nose across the cheeks, highlight the inner corners of the eyes, and cross the top of its head. Golden morphs were recorded in Bhutan in Bumthang District,, in China in Qinling, Hengduan Mountains, southern Yunnan, and Eastern Himalayas Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and Buxa Tiger Reserve. Buff brown morphs were recorded in Bhutan and in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary. Khangchendzonga National Park, Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, Dibang Valley, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary, Torsa Strict Nature Reserve, Phrumsengla National Park, Bumthang District, Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park and other forests in Trashigang, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatra. It was also recorded in Virachey National Park. Cinnamon morphs were recorded in Dibang Valley, Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, and Torsa Strict Nature Reserve.It was also recorded in Kingpao village, Tuensang district. In China, the morph was recorded in southern Yunnan and eastern Himalaya. An Asian golden cat with large rosettes on shoulders, flanks and hips was described for the first time based on a specimen from China in 1872. ==Distribution and habitat==

The Asian golden cat ranges from eastern Nepal, northeastern India and Bhutan to northeastern Bangladesh, to Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, southern China, Malaysia and Sumatra. It prefers forest habitats interspersed with rocky areas and inhabits dry deciduous, subtropical moist evergreen and tropical rainforests. Since an individual was caught alive in 1831 in Nepal, the country was thought to be the westernmost part of the Asian golden cat's range. In the 21st century, it was photographed in the country in May 2009 in Makalu Barun National Park at an elevation of . In Bangladesh, it was recorded in September 2021 in Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. In India, Asian golden cats were recorded in: • temperate and subalpine forest in Sikkim's Khangchendzonga National Park up to an elevation of ; • the Khasi hills of Meghalaya; • Arunachal Pradesh's Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Pakke Tiger Reserve, Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and Singchung-Bugun Village Community Reserve. In northern Myanmar, it was recorded in Hkakaborazi National Park. In 2015, it was recorded for the first time in the hill forests of Karen State. In Thailand, it was recorded in Khao Yai National Park. In Vietnam, it was recorded in Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. In Laos, it inhabits bamboo regrowth, scrub and degraded forest from the Mekong plains to at least . In Malaysia, it was recorded in a state forest in Merapoh in 2021. Results of surveys in Sumatra indicated that it is more common than sympatric small cats, suggesting that it is more numerous than thought before the turn of the 21st century. It has been recorded in Kerinci Seblat, Gunung Leuser and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Parks. == Behaviour and ecology ==

Asian golden cats are territorial and solitary. Previous observations suggested that they are primarily nocturnal, but a field study on two radio-collared specimens revealed arrhythmic activity patterns dominated by crepuscular and diurnal activity peaks, with much less activity late at night. In the study, the male's territory was in size and increased by more than 15% during the rainy season. The female's territory was in size. Both cats traveled between only to more than in a day, and were more active in July than in March. Asian golden cats recorded in northeast India were active during the day with activity peaks around noon. In the mountains of Sikkim, Asian golden cats reportedly prey on ghoral. Captive Asian golden cats kill small prey with the nape bite typical of cats. They also pluck birds larger than pigeons before beginning to feed. Their vocalizations include hissing, spitting, meowing, purring, growling, and gurgling. Other methods of communication observed in captive Asian golden cats include scent marking, urine spraying, raking trees and logs with claws, and rubbing of the head against various objects – much like a domestic cat. Female Asian golden cats are sexually mature between 18 and 24 months, while males mature at 24 months. Females come into estrus every 39 days, at which time they leave markings and seek contact with the male by adopting receptive postures. During intercourse, the male will seize the skin of the neck of the female with his teeth. After a gestation period of 78 to 80 days, the female gives birth in a sheltered place to a litter of one to three kittens. The kittens weigh at birth, but triple in size over the first eight weeks of life. They are born already possessing the adult coat pattern and open their eyes after six to twelve days. == Threats ==

The Asian golden cat inhabits some of the fastest developing countries in the world, where it is increasingly threatened by habitat destruction following deforestation, along with a declining ungulate prey base. In Sumatra, it has been reported killed in revenge for preying on poultry. In Southeast Asia and China, it is threatened by poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. In Myanmar, 111 body parts from at least 110 individuals were observed in four markets surveyed between 1991 and 2006. Numbers were significantly greater than those of non-threatened species. Among the observed skins was one with rosettes. Three of the surveyed markets are situated on international borders with China and Thailand and cater to international buyers, although the Asian golden cat is completely protected under the country's national legislation. Effective implementation and enforcement of CITES is considered inadequate. ==Conservation==

Pardofelis temminckii is included in CITES Appendix I and fully protected over most of its range. Hunting is prohibited in Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. Hunting is regulated in Laos. No information about protection status is available from Cambodia. ==In culture==

In China, the Asian golden cat is thought to be a kind of leopard and is known as "rock cat" or "yellow leopard". Different colour phases have different names; those with black fur are called "inky leopards", and those with spotted coats are called "sesame leopards". Many indigenous people believe the cat to be fierce, but in captivity it has been known to be docile and tranquil. In southern Thailand, it is called kang kude () and believed to be a fierce animal that can hurt or eat livestock and larger animals such as Asian elephants. ==References==