Social interaction and co-occurrence of colour morphs of the Asiatic golden cat, Bhutan

Title
Social interaction and co-occurrence of colour morphs of the Asiatic golden cat, Bhutan
Publication Date
2015
Author(s)
Vernes, Karl A
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1635-9950
Email: kvernes@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:kvernes
Sangay, Tiger
Rajaratnam, Rajanathan
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5932-7935
Email: rrajarat@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rrajarat
Singye, Rinchen
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
International Union for Conservation of Nature
Place of publication
Switzerland
UNE publication id
une:18035
Abstract
During a short camera trapping survey along an altitudinal gradient in central Bhutan, we detected two colour morphs of the Asiatic golden cat 'Catopuma temminckii' socially interacting in the same photo frames. A series of camera trap photos showed an individual of the typical golden morph and another of the considerably rarer spotted or 'ocelot' morph appear at a camera, before a brief bout of 'play fighting'. This is the first time that we are aware of these two colour morphs detected together as a social grouping. During the same survey, we also recorded the grey and black morphs of the Asiatic golden cat, further revealing for the first time that these four colour morphs co-occur at the same locality. Additionally, our data also support previous work that suggested diurnal/crepuscular activity patterns for Asiatic golden cats in Bhutan.
Link
Citation
Cat News (62), p. 18-21
ISSN
1027-2992
Start page
18
End page
21

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