A palm date farmer has found a rare leopard cat caught in a trap set for paddy field rats in Muang district, Mukdahan province.
Residents of Na Wiang Kae village alerted Mukdahan Municipality on Friday, reporting a large, tiger-like animal trapped at the Pari date palm orchard. Officials confirmed it was a protected leopard cat, native to the region.
The feline, about 80 centimetres tall and 90cm long, has yellow fur with black spots. It was caught in a trap set by orchard workers to control paddy field rats damaging crops and suspected of stealing chicks.
The farmer contacted Satit Phisaisawat, head of the provincial wildlife checkpoint, to ensure the animal was safely transferred for conservation.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the wild cat is listed as "Least Concern," but in Thailand, it remains a protected species. Hunting, possession or trade without permission is illegal.
Experts warned that despite its domestic cat-like appearance, leopard cats are wild predators with strong hunting instincts, and they cannot be domesticated or kept as pets legally.
