Iriomote cat

The Iriomote cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis) is a subspecies of the leopard cat that lives exclusively on the Japanese island of Iriomote. It has been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2008, as the only population comprises fewer than 250 adult individuals, and is considered declining. The Japanese Ministry of the Environment estimated in 2007 that 100–109 individuals remained and classified the subspecies as "facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the near future". In Japanese, the subspecies is called Iriomote-yamaneko (西表山猫, "Iriomote mountain cat"). In local dialects of the Yaeyama language, it is known as yamamayaa (ヤママヤー, "wild cat" or "f...

Iriomote cats are terrestrial, but climb trees, go into the water and also swim. They are nocturnal and especially active during twilight hours. During daytime, they sleep in tree hollows or caves. They mark their territory by urinating and defecating on rocks, tree stumps and bushes. Their home ranges vary from 1–7 km2 (0.39–2.70 sq mi) in size.

Japan

Iriomote cats are carnivorous and prey on various mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and crustaceans. They typically ingest 400–600 g (14–21 oz) of food a day. Other wild cats primarily hunt small mammals, such as rodents and rabbits, but because there are no other carnivores to compete with the Iriomote cat on the island, there is no need for them to isolate themselves from the various habitats and food sources that are available. Thus, their diet is quite varied. Mammalian prey includes black rats, Ryukyu flying foxes and young Ryukyu wild boar. Their prey also includes a wide range of birds, such as the Eastern spot-billed duck, slaty-legged crake, Eurasian scops-owl, pale thrush, and white-breasted waterhen. Reptiles include various types of snakes and Kishinoue's giant skink. They are also known to hunt Sakishima rice frogs, yellow-spotted crickets and crabs. As their hunting grounds tend to be in swamps or on shores, they sometimes swim and dive to catch water birds, fish, and freshwater prawns. Seasonal dietary changes have been observed. They eat rats and frogs year-round, lizards in the summer and spring, and crickets and bats more often in the fall and winter. When eating birds that are larger than a dusky thrush, most cat species will pluck the feathers and then eat them, but the Iriomote cat will eat even large birds whole, without removing the feathers. Furthermore, unlike other cats, the Iriomote cat does not kill its prey immediately by breaking the spinal cord. Instead, it holds the animal in its mouth until it stops moving.

Iriomote cats are terrestrial, but climb trees, go into the water and also swim. They are nocturnal and especially active during twilight hours. During daytime, they sleep in tree hollows or caves. They mark their territory by urinating and defecating on rocks, tree stumps and bushes. Their home ranges vary from 1–7 km2 (0.39–2.70 sq mi) in size.

It is estimated that Iriomote cats live for seven to eight years in the wild, and eight to nine years in captivity. Human influences, traffic accidents and traps may lower their lifespan to two to five years. In captivity, an Iriomote cat lived for an estimated 15 years and one month, the longest known lifespan of any Iriomote cat.

During the mating season, Iriomote cats become active during the day as well. Breeding females are more active than non-breeding ones during the late night and morning hours. Outside the mating season the cats live in solitude, but when they begin breeding, they live together. The mating season lasts from December to March, and females go into heat several times during this period, with the peak being in January and February. In late February, a fasting period lasting approximately two weeks occurs. This time frame is notable, as it coincides with a peak in sexual excitement among females. Male and female cats always stay together at this time, and it is thought that conception happens during these two weeks. Between April and June, pregnant female cats give birth to 1–3 kittens in a tree hollow or cavern. The locations chosen for birthing and rearing are dry and have good ventilation. Kittens stay with their mother for about eleven months. They begin to become more independent during the fall and winter months. They stay in their mother's home range from anywhere between a few months and years. Kittens reach maturity at twenty months after birth.

The fur of the Iriomote cat is mostly dark grey and light brown, with lighter hair on the belly and insides of the limbs. Markings along the jaw are white. The dark parts of the body consist of dark brown to black tabby markings on a lighter brown agouti background. There are two dark brown spots on each cheek. There are 5–7 stripes spanning from the forehead to the back of the head, however, unlike the leopard cat, the stripes stop before reaching the shoulders. Dark brown to black tabby spots cover the flanks of the body, and there are 3–4 bands of irregular stripes on the chest. The tail is dark brown; darker spots pattern the back side of the tail, whilst the underside of the tail is solid. The tip of the tail is dark. The tips of the ears are rounded, with black hair along the edge. There are no tufts of longer hair on the top of the ears. Adult Iriomote cats have an ocellus (white eye-mimicking spot) on the back of each ear, much like those found on tigers' ears. Young cats lack these marks, and even for adults, the spots will not be as white as those seen on other leopard cat subspecies. The Iriomote cat's eyes are a light amber colour. The nose is large and flat, with no fur covering the reddish-brown nose leather. The paw ranges from 29–37 mm (1.1–1.5 in) wide, in contrast to the 24–30 mm (0.94–1.18 in) wide paw of a domestic cat. The skull is longer and narrower than that of a domestic cat. When compared to the leopard cat's skull, the Iriomote cat's is roughly the same size but thicker. Because of this, the Iriomote cat's brain is smaller; a male leopard cat's brain is about 42 grams, whereas a male Iriomote cat's brain is about 30 grams. The occipital bone of the skull and the auditory capsule are not connected. The mandibular symphysis is short. Male Iriomote cats grow to be 55–60 cm (22–24 in) long and weigh 3.5–5 kg (7.7–11.0 lb). Females are smaller at about 50–55 cm (20–22 in) long and 3–3.5 kg (6.6–7.7 lb). Its tail is thick from base to tip and 23–24 cm (9.1–9.4 in) long. It has a long body and short, thick limbs. Its neck is also thick, and its shoulders are muscular, though its jumping power is relatively weak. The Iriomote cat has six pairs of incisors, two pairs of canine teeth, four pairs of premolars, and two pairs of molars for a total of 28 teeth. Compared to other cats, including small wild cats, the Iriomote cat is lacking one pair of premolars on the top jaw behind the canines. In addition to this, unlike most other subtropical mammals, Iriomote cats' teeth give details about their year-to-year history. It is expected that these details will help determine the age and behaviour of the cats. The anal glands of the Iriomote cat surround the anus; this contrasts with other cat species', where they are inside the anus.

Destruction of habitat due to development, predation by dogs, traffic accidents, and traps set for wild boar and crabs all contribute to the decline in number of Iriomote cats. During the second survey of the island, conducted from 1982–1984, it was estimated that 83–108 Iriomote cats lived on the island. The third survey, conducted from 1993–1994, estimated that 99–110 of the cats were on the island. During the fourth survey, conducted from 2005–2007, there were an estimated 100–109 remaining cats. The method of estimating the numbers differed between the third and fourth surveys, though; if the third estimate were to be revised, there would have been an estimated 108–118 Iriomote cats at the time, meaning that the population is shrinking over time. Along with traffic accidents, logging, and development of the swamplands, house pets are also causing problems. House cats and especially stray cats cause issues with competition, disease transmission, and genetic pollution due to hybridisation between the two species. It is also feared that dogs prey on the Iriomote cats. The government has successfully eliminated the stray cat population on Iriomote. The primary fear stems from house cats that have become feral or partially feral, but there has been no monitoring of these interactions. Pressure from competition over food, contact with house cats that have contracted feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and other contagious diseases, as well as decrease in population due to hybridisation are all important issues with the Iriomote cat. In June 1999, the Iriomote Wildlife Protection Centre conducted an investigation among 50 house and feral cats and 23 Iriomote cats in order to see if FIV was being transmitted within the populations. FIV was not seen in any of the Iriomote cats, but three of the house and feral cats tested positive. Because of the fears regarding transmission of the disease, starting in 2001, Taketomi Town enacted the Cat Breeding Ordinance which required all residents to register their pet cats. In June 2008, the ordinance was revised to include mandatory FIV testing and vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and microchipping. A new limit to the number of pets allowed per owner was also added. Furthermore, the cane toad, which secretes a poisonous liquid from glands in its ears, has also appeared on the island. In order to prevent further contamination of Iriomote, residents of Ishigaki Island began extermination measures in 2008.

In July 2010, the Taketomi Tourist Association invited residents to create a design for a local mascot. A Komi Elementary School sixth grader's design, which was based on the Iriomote cat, was chosen. The island of Iriomote is pictured on the mascot's chest. It was named in the same manner it was designed; in August 2010, the name "Pikaryaa" (ピカリャ～) was chosen based on the submission of an Ishigaki resident who drew inspiration from the local nickname of the cat, yamapikaryaa. The town of Taketomi initiated an "Iriomote Wild Cat Day" (イリオモテヤマネコの日 (Iriomote Yamaneko no hi)) in 2015. In July 2016, Taketomi signed a partnership with Tsushima based on their common endemic wild cats. Tsushima hosts the Tsushima cat, another leopard cat subspecies. The island also has several statues representing the Iriomote cat. In the south-east of the island, spanning across the Nakama River, the Nakama bridge is guarded on each side by two stone statues of the cat in various positions. And in 2017, the town of Taketomi revealed two new bronze statues, one in a rest area on the west coast of Iriomote Island, and the other at the beginning of a bridge in the North of the island.