Rare Asian Golden Cat Found 400km Beyond Known Range in Nepal

A remarkable wildlife discovery in Nepal has scientists both celebrating and concerned about the elusive Asian golden cat. A single photograph captured by camera traps in Nepal’s Jajarkot district has extended the species’ known range westward by nearly 400 kilometers (248 miles) – a significant expansion that suggests these secretive cats may be more widespread than previously thought.

The discovery came from an extensive monitoring effort that captured nearly 60,000 camera trap images throughout 2024, with the golden cat appearing in just one frame – highlighting just how rare and elusive these forest-dwelling felines truly are. Badri Baral, program coordinator with Nature Conservation Initiative Nepal, believes more Asian golden cats likely inhabit the previously unexplored territory between Jajarkot and the Gaurishankar Conservation Area.

However, this encouraging news arrives alongside troubling developments for the species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently upgraded the Asian golden cat’s threat status from “near threatened” to “vulnerable,” reflecting mounting pressures across its range in South and Southeast Asia.

Once likely abundant throughout Asian forests, golden cat populations have declined significantly due to deforestation, snaring, and retaliatory killings by humans. Thomas Gray from WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative, who participated in the species assessment, describes the status change as representing “genuine concern” for the cat’s future survival.

The dual nature of this news – range expansion coupled with increased extinction risk – underscores both the resilience of wildlife and the urgent need for enhanced conservation efforts to protect these magnificent but threatened forest cats.