Habitat

The Leopard Cat has an incredible habitat range. You can find the Leopard Cat all throughout Asia and slightly into the Middle East - specifically Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Korea, Japan, Russia, Southeast Asia, and on most Asian islands. Because of the areas it lives in, the Leopard Cat has to share it's habitat with the Giant Panda, the red panda, and the Asian Elephant. The Leopard Cat's flexibility for habitat selection and prey choices allow it to be so widespread.  One could find a Leopard Cat living in a forest, tropical jungle, grassland, shrubland, semidesert, and woodland. The Leopard Cat is an exceptional swimmer, which is the main reason why these animals are so far distributed - even onto distant islands.  The Leopard Cat can climb extremely well also.

Check out this video of a Leopard Cat climbing in a tree.

http://www.arkive.org/leopard-cat/prionailurus-bengalensis/image-G72867.html

The Leopard Cat does not enjoy living in hot environments, so it is rare to find one in places like the hot and dry areas of India.  Even in an ideal habitat, Leopard Cats still have to deal with a change in climate depending on the year and season.  It is beneficial that this cat has developed the ability to swim becasuse most of Asia goes through some form of a rainy (or monsoon) season, which makes water levels rise. Leopard Cats thrive equally in the wet season (usually summer) and in drier conditions.

 

 

 

 

This page was made by Nick Howard.

Click here to learn about how the Leopard Cat evolved.

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