TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Tsou Hunters Association (嘉義縣鄒族獵人協會) has captured rare footage of an endangered leopard cat in southern Taiwan's Alishan Township (阿里山鄉) at 1,752 meters altitude. This marks the first sighting in Alishan in 31 years and the first in Chiayi County in seven years.
The Forestry and Nature Conservancy Agency (林業及自然保育署) Chiayi branch confirmed the discovery Thursday (Nov. 20). The footage came from infrared cameras monitoring Formosan Black Bear habitats through a joint project with National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (國立屏東科技大學).
The leopard cat was spotted in early November near the Lijia (里佳) tribal area within state-owned forests in the Zengwen River (曾文溪) basin. Officials describe this region as a crucial wildlife corridor where the Water Resources Agency (水利署) is implementing a conservation project to connect river and forest habitats.
Leopard cats, classified as endangered in Taiwan, maintain stable populations only in Miaoli, Taichung, and Nantou counties. The species faces multiple threats including habitat loss, pesticide use, roadkill, and attacks by stray animals, according to forestry officials. ◼
