December 27, 2025 | 10:28 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The elusive flat-headed cats (Prionailurus planiceps) have been rediscovered in Thailand after nearly three decades since their last sighting. The presence of this rare cat with a flat forehead, large close-set eyes, and webbed feet was revealed for the first time since 1995 through camera trap recordings.
The conservation organization Panthera announced the discovery on Friday, December 26, 2025, coinciding with Thailand's National Wildlife Protection Day. The recordings were obtained from camera traps installed in the Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary in 2024 and 2025.
"For decades, the flat-headed cat has been classified as 'likely extinct,' but after years of sustained protection, strong scientific partnerships, and community stewardship, we can now celebrate its return to Thailand this National Wildlife Day," said Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin in a written statement, as quoted from Live Science report on late Friday.
The flat-headed cat is also commonly known as such due to its characteristic flat forehead. Its webbed feet enable it to move in wetland habitats, such as flooded peat swamp forests. The species is believed to hunt fish and live in fragmented areas in Southeast Asia, including Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) last assessment in 2014, the flat-headed cat was classified as endangered. The primary threats come from the loss and degradation of wetlands and lowland forests, compounded by human activities such as overfishing and hunting.
The survey in Thailand was conducted in remote areas and is referred to by Panthera as the largest survey ever conducted for this species. This activity is also part of a new IUCN assessment led by Panthera and scheduled to be released in early 2026.
The camera traps recorded several flat-headed cat individuals, including a female with her offspring. This discovery indicates that the species not only survived but also reproduced in southern Thailand.
"Rediscovery of the flat-headed cat in southern Thailand is a significant win for conservation in Thailand and the broader Southeast Asia region where the species is still found," said Atthapol Charoenchansa, Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation in Thailand.
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