Regal Kitties at the Prospect Park Zoo
©WCS/photo by J.Maher; video by L.Groskin |
Named for Russian royalty and seemingly hefty as pampered housecats, the Prospect Park Zoo’s new Pallas cats bring a bit of opulence to the Animals Lifestyles building. But zookeepers insist these fluffy felines aren’t fat—or lazy. The Pallas cat’s long, dense coat helps it survive in the cold climate of its native habitat, the mountains, grasslands, and woodlands of central China and Mongolia. Small ears on the sides of the head help protect against frostbite, and short, thick legs allow the cat to climb easily on rocky slopes. Here at the Zoo, Nicholas and Alexandra get in plenty of climbing time. The feisty felines scale the rocks of their exhibit looking for the perfect place to lounge. When their keepers search for them, the first place they check is up on top of the rocks. Their brown and gray fur blends into the earthy colors of their surroundings, so visitors may need an extra moment to find the cats, too.
Camouflage serves the Pallas cat well. In the wild, these cats come out at dusk to begin searching for dinner—usually small rodents and pikas (small relatives of rabbits). An adept predator, the species hunts by stalking and ambushing its prey.
With a long history of being hunted for their pelts, Pallas cats now face serious threats to their survival in the wild. WCS has supported decades of conservation work throughout Asia, including China and Mongolia, to help protect these and other imperiled wildlife species.
