Wild Cat Species
Take me to the credits for the photographs on this page About the classification of the wild cat species (taxonomy) Status in the wild is as at 2011 based on IUCN Red List™. See IUCN Red List™ details for the wild cats. Domestic cats were once wildcats. The best sources of information about wild cat species have been used in compiling this information. You can rely on this information. See lots more pages on the wildcats.
ClassificationThe classification of wild cat species is work in progress. Taxonomy is an evolving science. There have been marked changes in classification over the preceding 100 years. Currently (at 2011) there are 36 species of wild cat according to the premier book on wildcats: Wild Cats Of The World by Mel and Fiona Sunquist. They follow CITES classification, World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC) and Wild Cats Status Survey and Conservation Plan. The book was published 2002. The situation can change. DNA testing has changed things.The number of wild cat species varies from 36 to 39. The variations are probably due to subspecies being classified as species. There is still disagreement (lion taxonomy). This is because all the cats have a very similar morphology (the form, structure and features of an animal). All cats, except of the cheetah, behave in a similar way too. All the wildcats evolved from eight lineages it is currently believed. It is surprising to note that there are a number of wild cat species that are little known. Yet we are still destroying their habitat. It is probably a case of out of sight and out of mind. These are secretive small wildcats living in dense forest avoiding people. Photographic CreditsExcept for Jim Sanderson Ph.D., creative commons licenses granted by the photographers have permitted me to create derivatives of the originals. Thank you.African golden cat - copyright Terry Whittaker. Andean mountain cat - Believed Jim Sanderson Ph.D. Asiatic golden cat - Karen Stout. Bay cat - Jim Sanderson Ph.D. Black-footed cat - Unknown, public domain. Bobcat - ForestGladesiWander (Flickr). Caracal - prb10111---awol (Flickr). Cheetah - tom raftery (Flickr) Chinese desert cat - Believed Jim Sanderson Ph.D. Clouded leopard - cliff1066 (Flickr). Fishing cat - cliff1066 (Flickr). Flat-headed cat - Jim Sanderson Ph.D. Geoffroy's cat - MrGuilt Jaguar - Eric Kilby Jaguarundi - law_keven Jungle cat - Dr Tarak N Khan Kodkod - Jim Sanderson Ph.D. Leopard - npmeijer Sources1. Wild Cats Of The World - by Mel and Fiona Sunquist this is recognized as the best book on wild cats.2. Occasionally Wikipedia. 3. Great Cats - Majestic Creatures of the Wild -edited by Dr. John Seidensticker and Sr. Susan Lumpkin. 4. Wild Cats of the World - by David Alderton 5. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ Note all photos are licensed for derivates under the relevant creative commons license. Jim Sanderson's photos are not licensed for derivatives. I have taken a liberty in making derivatives for this page. Although in return I promote his work and the conservation of the small cats. |
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