Marbled Cat Range

The title to this page is misleading as it evolved to provide comprehensive information about this cat species including its distribution.

Marbled Cat Range – 2009: Below is a large format map of the distribution of the marbled cat (scientific name: Pardofelis marmorata). It is faithfully reproduced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ map as best as is practically possible when bearing in mind the scale of the Red List map. Google maps have the capacity of being far more accurate because of close zooming. The original of the map below is on this page: Marbled Cat Range 2009 (new window).

The idea is that the original map is public and what I call “open collaboration”, which means anyone with sufficient knowledge and willingness can refine the map. I think it is common knowledge that all wild cat range maps can and should be constantly improved.

The map below can be moved inside the window by holding down left click and moving the mouse. There is more general information about the marbled cat below the map.

View Marbled Cat Range 2009 in a larger map

August 2009: Marbled cat photographs are very hard to come by indicating that this is a rare and secretive wild cat. In 1884 Robert Sterndale (in National History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon) reported that “very little is known about the habits of this cat”.  Judging by the acute scarcity of photographs and indeed information about this cat not much has changed over the intervening 125 years. That may, in fact, be good for the cat. Is it possible that research into the wildcats, the purpose of which is conservation may have some negative aspects to it? The more we know about a cat, the easier it is to exploit it, surely? I wonder then if knowing the marbled cat range better, the purpose behind the open collaboration map that I created will aid this cat’s conservation.