More Valuable Than Giant Pandas: First Desert Cat Footage Captured in Dunhuang West Lake Protection Area – Cute and a Little Fierce
Yesterday, the first footage of the desert cat was captured in the Dunhuang West Lake wetland protection area. When many people saw pictures of the desert cat, they couldn't help but think, 'This soft and cute creature is not too different from our own pets.'
Image source: Internet
Actually, careful observation will reveal that desert cats have pointed ears, and there is a cluster of black hair beside their ears, and their bodies are colored in sand yellow or earthy yellow similar to the color of the Gobi Desert.
Image source: Internet
Although the desert cat is a Grade II rare protected animal, it is even rarer than giant pandas. It is the only cat species native to China in the world.
Dunhuang West Lake Protection Area (Image source: Internet)
The capture in Dunhuang West Lake Protection Area was also very difficult, the West Lake Protection Area was established as a protected area in the west of Dunhuang 28 years ago, the total area of the protected area is 660,000 hectares, with an average altitude of 1131 meters, the southern Aljin Mountains have an average altitude of 3100 meters, and the main landforms are desert, Gobi, rocky mountains, wetland grass and desert vegetation, five types.
The desert cat mainly inhabits the yellow loess hills, dry grasslands, deserts, semi-deserts, grassland meadows, mountainous coniferous forests and high mountain shrub and high mountain meadows, and also activities in the snow. The West Lake Protection Area fully meets the living conditions of the desert cat.
Image source: Internet
Desert cats are mysterious and aloof, they usually come alone, this time capturing the desert cat may be because it is currently in the breeding period, so they come out to move around more often. Desert cats usually get pregnant in February and March, and give birth to cute kittens after 3 months, about 2-4 kittens per litter. They choose to conceive in February and March because after the kittens are born, a large number of young rodents begin to live independently, and the desert cat's food source is stable, and the mother can catch enough prey near the cave for feeding the kittens with milk.
Image source: Internet
Besides eating mice, rabbits, lizards, snakes, marmots, etc. are also their prey. In winter, when the prey becomes scarce, they will even go to the cliffs at night to hunt various birds to feed, which is a strong survival skill.
Image source: Internet
In October 2018, the Mountain and Nature Protection Center discovered a desert cat nest in the wild and captured footage of a desert cat mother teaching her kittens hunting skills, the picture is super cute and warm-hearted. We believe that cat lovers will have a full laugh seeing this picture.
Image source: Internet
However, due to various environmental influences and hunting, the number of desert cats is decreasing, the desert cat is a national specialty, if China loses it, the world will lose it completely. We hope we can better protect the living environment of the desert cats.
