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| Iriomote Cat | ||
|---|---|---|
 Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis (Imaizumi, 1967) | ||
| Information | ||
| Range |
Iriomote Island, Japan | |
| Estimated Population |
100 | |
| Scientific Classification | ||
| Kingdom |
Animalia | |
| Phylum |
Chordata | |
| Class |
Mammalia | |
| Order |
Carnivora | |
| Family |
Felidae | |
| Genus |
Prionailurus | |
| Species |
P. bengalensis | |
| Subspecies |
P. b. iriomotensis | |
| Conservation Status (IUCN 3.1) | ||
 Critically Endangered | ||
The Iriomote cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis) is a subspecies of wild cat, which is a type of leopard cat, exclusively native to Iriomote island in Japan. It is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, as there are an estimated 100 individuals remaining and its population is in decline.[1] First described by Dr. Imaizumi of Tokyo’s National Science Museum in 1967, this wild cat is about the size of a domestic cat and has the short legs of a predator that forages in thick undergrowth. They live in the wild for approximately 7-8 years, and 8-9 in captivity, with the longest lifespan known in captivity to be 15 years.[2]