Pallas' Cat Project In Mongolia

Cats shown held by people for photographs on this page are under the influence of anesthesia from prior biological sample collection.

We would like to acknowledge Dr. Stephen O¹Brien, Dr. Bill Swanson, Dr. Amanda Fine, and Dr. Bill Taylor for their dedication to the development of the Pallas cat conservation project.

The Pallas Cat (or "manul") has been little studied in the wild until this project. Pallas Cats in captivity have a high infant mortality rate due to the population being largely infected with toxoplasmosis. The original goal of this study was to discover the difference between the wild and captive populations. After a successful study in that respect, it was decided to continue the work there with the local people to learn more about these rare elusive little cat's behavior also.

WAC has currently funded $37,250.50 to this project in past years. It is an ongoing project and currently needs your help! Please consider contributing to it (tax deductible) on our secure online form. You can also consider being a volunteer and working on the project itself in Mongolia, the experience and opportunity of a lifetime! Please contact Meredith Brown for further information.

See their Project Website for more information.

To make a direct donation to this project, go to our secure online form.

Photos

Here is Meredith and Bold examining anesthetized wildcat.

Here they are searching for the wildcat.

Here is our wildcat expert, Bold, with caught wildcat!

Here is Gobi desert----wildcat (f. silvestris) habitat

Here they are setting up the radio telemetry.

Here is the team (and an extra "future" biologist) outside using the equipment.

Here they are tracking...

Here is a captured young cat. Nice that they're small enough to fit in your pocket, try this on when researching tigers...

Here is their field office.

Here they are recording data and measuring.

Here is a cat in the snow waking up.

Here is another waking up in his den entrance.

Here is another waking up in the snow.

Here is the entire team.

Here is the team climbing the rocks that the cats live in.

Here is a view of the terrain in Mongolia.

Here is a Pallas' cat's rear end in his den!

Here is his face in his den, much cuter.

Here they are juggling a captured wild Pallas'cat.

Here is Meredith with a cat in hand by it's hole.

Here is a cat under anesthesia on the table in the field.

Here is a closer face shot of the sleeping cat on the table.

Here is Meredith with her charges. Great shot!

Here is a wild cat running free after collection.

Here is a Mongolian ger and children of local herdsman at the study site.

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