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The "Manul" is one of the most primitive feline species and is said to be a descendant of the saber-toothed tiger. Are they really that bad?
No bigger than our house cats, with thick fur, big eyes and round ears, the "Manul", or Pallas cat, doesn't actually look dangerous at all. This belies the fact that the "Pallas's cat" is a direct descendant of the saber-toothed tiger and is only really comfortable 3,000 meters above sea level in sub-zero temperatures
The Pallas's cat is found mainly in Central Asia, but also in northern Iran and Pakistan. They prefer an altitude of over 3,000 meters.
Merciless loner
"Manule" are nocturnal loners and do not tolerate competitors in their area. Although they prefer to avoid an argument in principle, they fight - if need be - to the death. Their physique is rather clumsy and their short legs and stocky body are only suitable for sprinting. However, their fangs are three times longer than those of our domestic cats and do not give their prey such as birds, mice and rabbits a chance.Since they are masters of camouflage, scientists are only able to research the "Manul" in the wild to a limited extent. Since they have the thickest fur of all feline representatives, they were unfortunately hunted on a massive scale and are now considered to be potentially endangered . Experts estimate their current population to be less than 50,000 worldwide .
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Unfortunately, it is considered "potentially endangered" and a worldwide population of about 50,000 animals is estimated.
Although the "Manul" is similar to our domestic cats, he cannot "meow". He snorts and growls.
"Love" only once a year
The "Manul" only mates once a year. The mating fights are very often bloody and only the strongest male and the strongest female unite. After that, between two and six blind and helpless kittens are born. The rearing is faster than average, however, because after four months the little "Manul" is able to hunt alone, looking for their own territory at only ten months.Not an animal for the zoo
"Manule" are not suitable for captivity. They become downright depressed and lose their will to live, which is why they hardly reproduce.The "Manul" has the thickest fur of all its feline relatives.
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Following is a video of the Manul in captivity
