I saw euptilurus leopard cats for the first time, in the late nineteen eighties, on my third visit to Berlin; they were in the (west) Berlin Zoo, not the (east) Berlin Tierpark.
I was immediately struck by the fact that, superficially, they resembled fishing cats much more than they looked like any form of leopard cat that I’d seen previously. And, as Ian has pointed out, they were labelled as a distinct species, not a sub-species of leopard cat.
(Incidentally, they were listed in the English version of the guidebook as mountain cat and, with no scientific name given, I initially (and rather too optimistically) wondered whether they might prove to be Andean mountain cats…….so I was somewhat disappointed when I eventually reached their exhibit and realised that they weren’t…….)
I was immediately struck by the fact that, superficially, they resembled fishing cats much more than they looked like any form of leopard cat that I’d seen previously.
Indeed; having taken the above Amur Cat photograph previously and having felt the taxon looked more like a fishing cat than it did a leopard cat, I deliberately tried to take a photo of a Fishing Cat from as close to the same angle and position as possible the next time I saw said taxon, hence my having the above images to compare and contrast
Tim May will have even more happy memories of the late, great Frank Wheeler than I do. Frank was once shown some (unlabelled) Amur Leopard Cats by Doug Richardson, who mischievously asked him if he knew what they were. Frank guessed at Fishing Cat. If a great small mammal keeper couldn't see Leopard Cats, it's hardly surprising if others wonder at the relationship!
Indeed; having taken the above Amur Cat photograph previously and having felt the taxon looked more like a fishing cat than it did a leopard cat, I deliberately tried to take a photo of a Fishing Cat from as close to the same angle and position as possible the next time I saw said taxon, hence my having the above images to compare and contrast
I'd suggest it is pretty doubtful for either; the fishing cat in that photograph was at Exmoor in a breeding situation, which I suspect would not occur were there to be any suspicion of one being a species-level hybrid. The Amur Cat was at Galloway Wildlife Park, and had been placed there as a result of coming into the hands of Battersea Dogs Home after being found as a stray.
If you mean "is it possible Amur cats are a naturally occuring hybrid" this is highly improbable as the taxon does not occur in areas where the Fishing Cat is found, and other leopard cat taxa do not interbreed with Fishing Cats.
I'd suggest it is pretty doubtful for either; the fishing cat in that photograph was at Exmoor in a breeding situation, which I suspect would not occur were there to be any suspicion of one being a species-level hybrid. The Amur Cat was at Galloway Wildlife Park, and had been placed there as a result of coming into the hands of Battersea Dogs Home after being found as a stray.
If you mean "is it possible Amur cats are a naturally occuring hybrid" this is highly improbable as the taxon does not occur in areas where the Fishing Cat is found, and other leopard cat taxa do not interbreed with Fishing Cats.
No, I meant the photo of the two original animals at Seoul Zoo. (But the bottom photo of the Amur Leopard Cat at Galloway does look a little odd to me.)
