Who is manul description. Wild cat manul - the appearance of a cat manul

- This wild steppe cat, who lives in the region of Central Asia, as well as in Western China, Mongolia, Tibet and other countries. Today, this cat is practically unexplored.

Exploring the Caspian steppes, a scientist named Peter Pallas was very surprised by such an incredible find. After all, he is the lucky one who saw the very first manul.

This happened at the end of the eighteenth century. The scientist could not even think that in front of him is one of the oldest representatives of the cat family. This fluffy predatory animal struck a naturalist from Germany, first of all, with its unusual appearance.

The name "manul", which came from the Turkic dialects, the scientist did not like, so the cat was named Otocolobus, which translates as "ugly ear".

The ears of this representative of the cat families are indeed quite original in appearance, but are they really that ugly? Most likely, the scientists hurried with the name. There is another name for manula - Pallas cat.

The fluffy and beautiful fur of the manul brought him a lot of trouble: these cats were actively exterminated. Today manul is under protection, photo available in the Red Book. You can't hunt these cats.

Evolution has hardly affected the appearance of this cute and beautiful animal. Today, the manul, all the advantages of which are very clearly visible in numerous photos, looks the same as he looked in ancient times.

Description of manul cats

In general, this feline breed has quite a few differences from the most common domestic cats. The length of the manul's body and tail, the shape of the skull and everything else is very similar to the classic cat standards common among pets. But, a clear difference is the length of the paws - they are short, and because of the very fluffy coat of the manul, the limbs look plump, however, this can be said about the whole animal as a whole. The average weight of a manul is about five kilograms.

This cat has very soft fur, it is long, fluffy and silky to the touch. Scientists say that about nine thousand hairs grow on one square meter of the manul's body. The wool of the manul is light gray, and the tips are light. On the tail, as a rule, there are horizontal circles of dark color.

The tail itself is gray in color, with a black rounded tip. On the tips of the ears of this cat there are lighter hairs. The cheeks are also covered with black stripes, most often there are two of them. There are similar patterns all over the body. The lower body of the animal is brown in color with light spots.

An interesting feature of manuls is that the pupils of their eyes are called tiger ones, as they have a rounded shape, which distinguishes these cats from their domesticated "relatives". They are yellow in color, round and rather convex. Another difference is that the eyes are quite wide apart.

Since the weather in the steppe area is almost always windy, and the air temperature is most often high, the eyes of the manul are developed in such a way that it constantly blinks - so the eyes do not dry out. Although these animals live in natural conditions, their claws are not worn off, but on the contrary, they are long and sharp.

In the wild, such an animal can live for about ten years, but in captivity, manulas often reach the age of twenty.

The size of the manula is similar to ordinary cats, but its appearance is quite massive. It is worth saying that in reality these animals weigh half as much as ordinary domestic Maine Coons.

Animal standard:

• strong body;
• somewhat flat muzzle;
• wool of a gray shade with light tips;
• black stripes on the tail and body, the tail is black;
• brightened tips of the ears;
• two black stripes on the cheeks;
• large yellow eyes with unusual pupils.

Cat breeds

Today, three varieties of manul breeds are known. They do not have much difference from each other. Their bodies do not differ in size, but there is a slight difference in the color of the coat.

Simple manul

As mentioned above, the coat color of a simple manula– light gray, usually animal lives in the steppes of Mongolia, Siberia and China. At the end of the eighteenth century, this cat shocked the whole world with its appearance.

Central Asian

The color of such cats is quite different from those described above. The wool of these manuls has a red tint, as well as stripes of red, which can be seen quite clearly. These representatives can be seen in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and so on. For the first time, people were able to get acquainted with the manuls of this breed in the middle of the nineteenth century.

Tibetan

The shade of the coat of the Tibetan manul is slightly darker than the standard one, and in winter its coat acquires a beautiful silver color. This wild animal is found in Iran, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and so on. Tibetan manuls first became known from the middle of the nineteenth century.

The nature and habits of manul cats

Manul can be called a real loner, a steppe warrior.

manul cat, whose photo is now so much on the Internet, has a difficult character, it is difficult for him to get along even with his own relatives.

In fact, these cute animals with always a serious expression of the muzzle are real lovers of loneliness.

They arrange their dwellings in mountain crevices, in small caves, they will be delighted if an abandoned fox or badger hole comes across on their way.

Manuls hunt at night, as is customary for most predatory animals. Although, a manul that went hunting early in the morning or late in the evening is also not such an exception to the rule.

They like to walk during the daytime, especially when it comes to the spring or summer season. They, like all cats, love to bask in the sun.

Almost everything in your life manul does it slowly, without too much haste. They hunt down the future victim with dignity and calmness, and then overtake it from an ambush. It is convenient for them to track prey right next to its hole. At wild manuls excellent reaction, which gives them the opportunity to successfully hunt and get their own food.

Sensing danger, the manul instantly hides, in rare cases it happens that he immediately tries to hide in a shelter. However, manul- not a helpless animal, although it may seem different. He knows how to make a formidable roar, as well as attack the offender.

Manuls can't purr. From them it is very rare to hear even the usual cat's meow. When communicating with relatives, they make rude sounds similar to the exclamation of "wow". Meeting with the offender manul cat will growl and hiss.

Manul cat care

At first it may seem that contain manula quite easy at home: wild cat will be able to live in a relatively small space, and their menu does not include any very unusual components.

However, these furry predators are rarely seen even in large zoos, and they do not always want to breed there.

A very small number of zoos can proudly claim that they have success in breeding manuls in captivity. There are only three such zoos in the Russian Federation.

homemade manul it is very difficult to keep in captivity, it is fraught with big problems.

small manula kittens may simply not live to adulthood, as they are prone to various diseases. The most terrible disease for these kids is toxoplasmosis.

In the steppe expanses, in the homeland of manuls, frosty winters and bright sun. They do not allow bacteria and viruses to develop, so cats living in the wild do not get sick. But a domesticated cat can easily pick up almost any disease.

It is not recommended to keep manula V domestic conditions. This animal is a predator that simply cannot become attached to the owner. Some of the manuls are not nervous when communicating with a person, however, they do not show any special emotions and are not eager to establish contact.

At an early age, manul learns what the instinct of a hunter is. Animals have sharp teeth with which they bite painfully.

This pet with a difficult disposition, even if it was not born in the wild, can not be explained that you just want to stroke it or play with it.

Those who still want to buy a manul will have to do this in accordance with the law of the country, since this is a protected animal species.

Manul will be too unusual and wayward pet, resisting establishing any contact with its owner.

Reviews about manul cats

• Amelia.

The cat manul, although a predator, is still a very cute and cute animal in appearance. It grows up to approximately 65 centimeters, and its tail has a length of more than 30 centimeters.

Manuls are simply incredibly beautiful, I really like his short and plump paws, which immediately distinguish him from other cats. This cat has an amazingly long and thick coat, so visually it looks like an awesome soft toy. This chic wool, moreover, has such an unusual color, which combines different colors.

Manul is a predatory animal, so during the day he sleeps off, but at night he goes hunting. He likes to create various shelters for himself.

I want to say that this predator is, in fact, a rather clumsy and slow creature. However, it is still adapted to survive in the wild. Tracks prey, sneaks to it, grabs it, and now he already has it. Likes to eat birds, rodents and so on.

Manul is similar to other cats in that, sensing danger, he snorts and purrs funny.

Once a year, the female gives birth to two to six kittens, and in total such a pet will live no more than twelve years.

Manul price. Where to buy a kitten manul. Manul nurseries

Manula kitten is a very expensive pleasure. Price kitten manula, most likely, will start from ten thousand dollars. In addition, this animal is almost impossible to domesticate. Even buy manul at the age of the kitten. It is also very difficult with the legal purchase of this animal, and not only in Russia. There are no manul nurseries in the CIS today.

Health and feeding of the manul cat

Among all the animals belonging to the cat family, these are one of the most problematic in terms of their maintenance in captivity. A particularly big problem is the preservation of the born offspring.

It is very difficult to raise kittens in captivity, even if their mother takes good care of them. kittens manula often get sick, and diseases lead to death.

These animals are susceptible to various infectious diseases, in zoos they die from toxoplasmosis.

Frost and bright sunlight, common in places where manuls live, destroy all pathogenic bacteria, in addition, living in the wild, this animal rarely meets with other varieties of cats, which means that it does not have the opportunity to get infected from them. That is why the immunity of animals, which is not “hardened” at all, as soon as it encounters microbes, is absolutely unable to fight them.

What the wild cat's food consists of in natural conditions, first of all, depends on its habitat, as well as the time of year.

The natural menu of this unusual and rare animal includes:

• small rodents;
• insects;
• birds (pigeons, partridges, quails, and so on);
• small mammals, such as ground squirrels, hamsters, field mice, and so on;
• plants;
• berries.

Living in a zoo, manul, as a rule, eats meat, as well as small rodents, like hamsters or lemmings.

Until the end of the twentieth century manula were of interest only to specialists, and they gained popularity and even greater fame only when their photo. Several beautiful photo of manuls, these massive, but graceful animals immediately scattered across the Web, literally turning into a real epidemic. One can only hope that the popularity of the manul today will force people to more carefully protect this amazing beast, which is practically unable to live in captivity.

In order to find out what modern cats looked like millions of years ago, you don’t need a time machine at all. It is enough to look at the manul - a wild steppe cat, which to this day has practically not changed in appearance and leads a lifestyle that has been measured for centuries.

Who is manul

Manul is a relic representative of the cat family, a wild and indomitable hermit with an unusual appearance. Thanks to its fluffy fur with an unusual color and the expression of the eyes that contained universal wisdom, this beast won the hearts of millions of people on our planet. The history of manul goes back to ancient times. He appeared on earth about 12 million years ago and became the progenitor of some types of domestic cats.

Felinologists hypothesize that Persian and Angora cats are direct descendants of the manul.

This wild animal owes its name to the Turks. From the Turkic language "manul" is translated as "fast". Another name for the manul is the Pallas cat. He received it in honor of the naturalist Peter Simon Pallas, who discovered and introduced the elusive animal to the world. In the second half of the 18th century, at the behest of Empress Catherine II, a successful scientist went on an expedition to the Caspian steppes, where he unexpectedly discovered a manul. Why the naturalist did not like the Turkic name of the cat - history is silent, but he called it - Otocolobus manul, which is translated from Latin as "ugly ear". The structure of the cat's inner ear is indeed an unusual shape, but it's a stretch to call it ugly.

Manul population

The wild cat leads a very secluded life. He is a master of conspiracy and, having sensed a person, he can sit in ambush for hours, practically merging with the landscape. This did the manul a disservice. The exact number of the animal is very difficult to determine.

According to biologists, the number of animal individuals at the beginning of this century ranged from 3 to 3.5 thousand.

In Russia, the population of manuls is estimated as follows:

• Gorny Altai - 250–300 individuals;
• Buryatia - up to 70 individuals;
• Chita region - up to 2500.

Conservation status of the animal

Manul is listed in the Red Books of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia, as well as in the IUCN Red List with the status "close to threatened".

Reasons for the decline in the number of animals:

• poachers;
• being in the same range of dogs without a leash;
• the use of traps and traps for hunting fur-bearing animals;
• severe climatic conditions and ice;
• weakening of the food base;
• larger predators;
• food competitors:
  • foxes;
  • wolverines;
  • martens;
  • golden eagles;
  • steppe eagles;
  • owls.
• various infectious diseases.

Human rights organizations have developed a program: "Study, conservation and reproduction of manul." During the program, designed for 10 years, zoologists plan to breed the cat population in artificially created conditions. Manul is a symbol of the Moscow Zoo.

Table: classification of a wild cat manul

Description of the breed

Manul is the smallest of all wild cats. The size of the animal is no larger than that of an ordinary cat.

Appearance of a wild cat

Distinctive features:

• body length - 52–65 cm;
• weight - 2–5 kg;
• thick tail long - 23–31 cm;
• small, slightly flattened head in the middle;
• bulging yellow-green eyes with developed nictitating membranes and round pupils, uncharacteristic of the cat family;
• very thick coat up to 7 cm in length;
• short massive paws with long retractable claws;
• widely spaced small rounded ears;
• gray or sandy-brown fur color;
• the underside of the body is brown with white tips;
• bleached tips of the ears;
• two black stripes on the muzzle running down from the eyes;
• dark blotches on the forehead;
• cheek pouches.

Due to its overly fluffy vegetation, manul looks quite large. Zoologists say that every square centimeter of a wild cat contains up to 9 thousand hairs. In the mountains at an altitude of up to 4-5 thousand meters, a thick coat acts as a heating pad. Thanks to this incredibly fluffy and warm attire, the manul feels quite comfortable even at -50 °.

Manul wool contains up to 9000 hairs per square centimeter

Additional brutality to a wild cat is given by short powerful paws and a thick tail with several transverse stripes. About this fluffy handsome man, we can say that he stands firmly on his feet. The tail is thick, of medium length, with dark rings at the end. The head is rather small in relation to the body and slightly flattened in the middle. Small, wide-set, rounded ears adorn the head of a fluffy impatiens. A characteristic difference is two camouflage stripes running from the eyes to the very neck. Such stripes are usually drawn by special forces trying to blend in with the environment. The main feature of a wild cat are the eyes. Yellow, with a green tint, they have round pupils, and even in bright light they do not narrow, as in ordinary felines. The eyes of a cat are equipped with nictitating membranes that protect the visual organ from drying out. Tufts of hair like sideburns are also a characteristic feature of the manul's appearance. The Pallas cat, unlike ordinary cats, has not 30, but 28 teeth. The fangs are very long and quite sharp.

The manul has yellow-green eyes with round pupils, silver fur and very long fangs.

Coat color is gray or reddish brown. In winter, the color changes a little - the tips of the fur are covered with a white coating, which creates a feeling of frost on the fur coat. This color is necessary so that the manul can literally merge with the environment. Even an experienced ninja will envy the camouflage properties of animal fur.

Manul is a wild cat, completely composed of contradictions. On the one hand - almost a soft toy, in an embrace with which you want to fall asleep. On the other - a predatory beast with a sullen look from under his brows. For this unusual combination of appearance, the manul became an Internet meme with the call - "stroke the cat." Judging by the way of life, the cat does not at all want to be discovered by someone, and even more so - stroked.

The nature and habits of manul

Distinctive character traits:

• sedentary lifestyle;
• caution and secrecy;
• twilight and night existence;
• slowness and slowness;
• sporadic (single) existence;
• hiding.

The nature of the manul is so secretive that scientists who follow the life of a cat with non-standard ears call it a phantom. Loneliness is the basis of the wild cat lifestyle. Experts say that the Pallas cat is one of the most cautious animals that will never step on the recently fallen snow, and even more so will not leave marks on the viscous ground. So that the lair of the beast is not traced, it will wait for days until one of the inhabitants of the same area marks the virgin snow before it. Most often, manul follows the tracks of ibexes and northern antelopes, which run in a flock and leave clear prints.

Manul is a master of disguise and a very cautious animal with a secluded lifestyle.

Manul leads a sedentary life and prefers loneliness. Invasion of relatives on their territory stops immediately and harshly. Prefers a twilight and nocturnal lifestyle, mostly sleeps during the day.

However, the manul is not averse to soaking up the warm rays of the sun during the day. In spring and summer, a wild cat can stay awake during the daytime.

Pallas' cat leads a measured leisurely life. Manul is not used to fussing and running long distances. And although outwardly the hermit seems clumsy and clumsy, he has an excellent reaction. Manul is quite nimble and knows how to squeeze into narrow manholes. In most cases, seeing the enemy, the cat prefers:

• retreat;
• lay low;
• climb high on the rocks.

Although this beast is not so harmless. Possessing large sharp fangs and long strong claws, manul can offer serious resistance. When attacking, the animal hisses menacingly, snorts and growls, making guttural throat sounds. Sometimes his cries are similar to the hoot of an owl. But the cat does not know how to purr Pallas.

Video: manul growls and hisses

A wild cat equips its lair in secluded places. As a rule, this is:

• rock crevices;
• small caves;
• niches under stones;
• burrows abandoned by other animals;
• hollows of fallen trees.

Manul tries not to meet with a man, and if their paths cross, he immediately leaves without showing any interest.

Manul does not pursue prey, but waits, disguised in an ambush, and then simply hides it.

The diet of the steppe hermit

Manul is an obligate predator (feeding on the meat of its own victims). The composition of the diet depends on the place of residence and climatic features. The food of a predator does not differ in a large variety. Mostly small rodents and birds. But manul is not averse to feasting on the fresh meat of a gaping rabbit. In summer, the cat feeds on pasture, and during the period of food shortage, it eats insects.

The main menu of the Pallas cat:

• rodents:
  • voles;
  • gerbils;
  • hamsters;
  • gophers;
  • marmots;
  • jerboas.
• small mammals:
  • pikas;
  • tolai hares.
• birds:
  • partridges;
  • cakes;
  • larks (and other birds nesting on the ground);
  • swifts;
  • pigeons;
  • bluetails.
• insects;
• berries and plants.

Manul's favorite delicacy is steppe pikas.

In the zoo, manul is fed:

• meat;
• rodents;
• carcasses of small birds;
• cereals.

Food is usually served in the evenings.

Video: morning manul hunting

wild cat habitat

Where manul lives, prevail:

• sharply continental climate with drops up to -50°;
• steppe winds;
• low snow cover;
• thickets of grass and low shrubs.

The wild cat inhabits the steppe and semi-desert territories in the mountains and can rise up to 4500 meters above sea level.

Habitat:

• highlands of Transcaucasia:
  • Altai;
  • Tuva;
  • Krasnoyarsk region.
• steppes of Transbaikalia;
• Middle Asia:
  • Uzbekistan;
  • Tajikistan;
  • Kyrgyzstan;
  • Turkmenistan.
• Afghanistan;
• Iran;
• Kashmir;
• western China;
• plains of Mongolia.

Manul subspecies

This population can hardly boast of a variety of subspecies. In scientific circles, only three subspecies are classified:

Manul reproduction and offspring

Reproduction of the steppe cat occurs once a year. The mating season, like that of domestic cats, begins:

• at the end of February;
• in the beginning of March.

Due to the reduction in the population, several gentlemen claim at once for one female during the rut. The strongest wins.

While courting a friend, the manul becomes incredibly gallant:

• prepares the lair;
• gets food;
• protects and defends the territory from the encroachments of the opponent.

Even wild cats know how to tenderly care for the "lady of the heart"

The "beloved" wild cat has a very short estrus period - only 42 hours. If during this time it was not possible to make offspring, then this process is postponed until the next year.

After mating, the boyfriend hides in the first bush of the steppe, leaving his girlfriend alone to cope with the bearing and rearing of offspring.

After conception, the cat is looking for a comfortable place for pregnancy and childbirth. An interesting position in the female manul lasts from 66 to 75 days. Fluffy kittens appear:

• in the end of April;
• early or mid May.

There can be from one to seven blind kittens in a litter. If the mother dies, then, as a rule, all offspring die. Tellingly, babies are born immediately with short and thick fur. The female manul feeds the litter with milk and licks them like all ordinary cats.

Dimensions of newborn manulyat:

• weight from 200 to 300 grams;
• length - 10–12 cm.

Video: funny manul cubs

Almost all kittens open their eyes on the 12th day. Manulata grow up very quickly. A wild cat is a very caring mother who leaves her babies only for the hunting period. In an emergency, the cubs sit quietly in the den and do not come out of the shelter until the mother arrives. In a calm and measured life, a cat teaches kids the skills of hunting and growing up in a difficult world. The period of puberty of the offspring of manul:

• hunting period with mother - 3-4 months;
• adult size - 6–8 months;
• reproductive age is about 10 months.

The life of the fluffiest cat in the world is very short:

• in the natural habitat - 10–12 years;
• in zoos and nurseries - up to 18 years.

Photo gallery of small manuls

Manul cub in its natural habitat Manul kittens look at the world with newly opened eyes Since childhood, manul babies have long fangs and strong claws

The life of a wild cat in captivity

The Pallas cat is listed in the Red Book, so any attempt to acquire this animal for personal use is illegal. At the federal level, animal trade can only take place between state-supported reserves and zoos. Illegal acquisition of a steppe savage is punishable by law. Ways to purchase a Pallas cat for personal use: save a sick animal from death or go out.

A few reasons not to make manul a domestic cat

Some fans of exotic animals want to have a manul as a pet. However, almost no one manages to tame the wild temper of a cat. He does not give in to training and does not stick with his heart to the owners. There were cases when a cat fed manul cubs. But the grown-up kids remained wild, showing aggression even to their nurse.

1. Aggressive behavior. Manul is not the kind of cat that you can cuddle or play with like with a domestic cat. The steppe hermit will never allow the owner of familiarities, and even more so aggression towards himself.
2. Wrong diet. A predatory animal feeds on game, obtained on its own. Human food or cat food is not suitable for feeding a feral cat. It will be very difficult to make a balanced diet for manul.
3. Close territory. Manul is accustomed to freedom and steppe expanses. A small area will oppress a freedom-loving cat.
4. Life rhythm. Manul leads an active lifestyle at dusk and at night. The owners will have to adapt to the rhythm of the cat's life.
5. Various diseases. The immune system of the manul differs from the immune system of a domestic cat. Infections that do not cause much harm to a pet are fatal to a wild animal. In addition, the manul does not tolerate the touch of human hands, and in order to perform veterinary procedures, the cat will have to be firmly fixed.
6. Damage to property. You can forget about the perfect cleanliness and fashionable interior, living next to this animal.
7. Constant shedding. The fluffiest cat will actively shed and leave its fur all over the house. In order to somehow reduce the amount of hair falling from the manul, you will have to constantly comb it out. It is unlikely that an aggressive pet will dutifully endure such a procedure.
8. Mating season. It is almost impossible to find a pair of manulus. It is impossible to sterilize an animal, which means that you will have to adapt to the unpredictable behavior of the animal during this period.

There were cases when the owners of this arrogant animal, unable to cope with difficult behavior, gave it to the zoo. Most often, attempts to tame manul end in the death of the animal.

In zoos, where comfortable living conditions are created for wild cats, manuls live much longer than in the wild and even actively breed.

Video: manul at home

Do not try to tame manul. A proud and indomitable animal must live in the wild, among dusty feather grass, steppe winds and twinkling stars overhead. The best thing a person can do for a wild cat is to keep it in the wild.

Manul (Pallas cat) is a living relic, an ancient representative of the cat family, a wild and lonely hunter from the distant past, as incomprehensible and unpredictable as it has not been fully studied. The word "manul" is of Turkic origin and that's all that can be said on this topic. Who and why called him that remains a mystery.

At the end of the 18th century, the German naturalist Peter Pallas, traveling through the Caspian steppes, first met this strange animal, described its appearance, habits, and lifestyle. Since then, the manul has been called the pallas cat. There is also a third species name, but more on that later.

Habitat

Low temperatures, low snow cover, steppe expanses with grass swaying in the wind, thickets of bushes and air of freedom are the optimal habitat for manuls. Furry predators are found in the mountains at an altitude of up to 4 thousand meters, where they feel quite comfortable and natural. The only necessary condition for life in the mountains is the presence of rocky outcrops. Animals tolerate the harsh everyday life of the continental climate well and practically do not get sick.

They live in the highlands of Transcaucasia, the steppes of Transbaikalia, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran, Kashmir, western China, and on the elevated plains of Mongolia. The distribution area, due to active human activity and illegal fishing, is constantly decreasing, breaking up into isolated foci. As a result, the population is now critically reduced. The manul animal is under state protection and is listed in the Red Book.

Appearance

The appearance of the manul, thanks to a thick coat, is deceptive. Outside, he is a fat and unwieldy lout, but inside, under a layer of wool, there is a very frail creature the size of an ordinary domestic cat, perhaps somewhat wider in bones, denser and more muscular in body.

• The weight of the animal does not exceed 2 - 5 kg, the length of the body is 52 - 65 cm, the tail is of medium length - 23 - 31 cm, the legs are thick and squat.
• In the structure of the skull of the manul, lynx features were noticed: a small, compared to the body, flattened and wide head, whiskers on the muzzle, large yellow eyes with almost round pupils, like those of a lynx.
• The ears are special - small, semi-circular in shape, fluffy, without tassels, set wide apart on the sides and located almost at eye level. They give the cat a wary look with a stern piercing look and serve as a calling card. With the light hand of scientists, who for some reason did not like the ears, the animal received its third name - Otocolobus, which in Latin means "Ugly ear".
• Manul has a specific piebald coloration that allows it to merge with the surrounding landscape. At the base, woolen hairs are painted in light gray or ocher color, at the very end - in white. The tail with a rounded end is decorated with dark rings, the back is marked by several transverse lines (there are also manulas without stripes).

The wild cat manul is the only owner of the thickest and fluffiest coat among its relatives, and this is even compared to Persian cats. The increased fluffiness is explained not so much by the length of the wool (in manuls it is 7 cm, in Persian cats - 12 cm) as by the incredible density of hairs per 1 cm 2 of the skin - up to 9 thousand.

Subspecies

Representatives of the population do not differ in a special variety of characters and stubbornly pass on their "prehistoric forms" from generation to generation. There are three known subspecies:

1. The Siberian subspecies of the manul is distributed in China, Mongolia, Transbaikalia, the Altai Territory, Tyva. The color of the fur is typical, represented by light gray shades, the tips of the wool are white.
2. The Tibetan subspecies (distributed in Nepal, Tibet, Kashmir) is endowed with a darker fur color, has pronounced black spots on the head and stripes on the tail and back. In winter, the coating acquires a silver tint.
3. The Central Asian subspecies of manul lives in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, it is distinguished by a reddish-ocher color. The stripes on the body and tail are clear, with a red tint.

Lifestyle

Manul does not like to change his place of residence often and is a staunch supporter of loneliness, living stably within his own hunting grounds. Deals with violators of private territory quickly and harshly. Sentimentality and tenderness shows during the courtship of the female.

Under the lair, manul chooses secluded places - rock crevices, shelters under stones, small caves, long abandoned burrows of other animals. He spends part of the night and most of the day there. She uses the shelter all year round - in the summer she escapes from the heat and waits out the cold in the winter. In nature, it has practically no enemies. The most famous of them is the wolf, and raptors (golden eagles, steppe eagles) are also dangerous.

A secretive, cautious manul cat is in no hurry to get involved in a fight, prefers to wait out the danger in a shelter or climbs stones and rocks with lightning speed. In a state of alarm, he snorts hoarsely, purrs, but does not know how to purr like a cat. Manul rarely catches the eye of a man, he immediately tries to run away, without showing the slightest curiosity.

Hunting and food

Wild manul shows hunting activity mainly at dusk, early in the morning or after sunset.. In the daytime, especially in summer, he is not averse to basking in the sun and hunting for small birds and mice.

The manul's diet is quite varied. The most favorite and affordable dish is pikas. It does not refuse insects, various small rodents - ground squirrels, voles, gerbils, hamsters. With luck, hares, marmots, birds nesting on the ground become prey.

The principle of hunting is quite simple - to hide, watch, make a sharp throw, strike and grab. On occasion, manul can use its paws and, taking out prey, dig a shallow mink. Fast running for long distances is not for manul. Such a load his little heart simply - simply can not stand. Dexterity, natural camouflage, and cunning help you get the desired trophy.

Reproduction and care of offspring

The scarce information about reproduction in nature is explained by the hidden way of life of this animal. The peak of activity is observed once a year and falls on February - March. Before mating, the manul cat gently cares for the female, attracting her attention in every possible way, drives away other males. Having achieved the goal, he hides forever in the wilds of his possessions.

A pregnant manul cat is allowed to have offspring in a pre-prepared den no later than 2 months after conception. The offspring is not small - from two to six kittens. According to the observations of scientists, the number of manul cubs can sometimes reach eight or even ten.

Babies are born blind, small (from 100 to 300 grams), no more than 12 cm long, their eyes are opened on 10-12 days. Manul cat feeds kittens with milk. They grow quickly: by two months, a small manul weighs almost 500 grams, at 3-4 months it goes on the first hunt, at 6-8 months it acquires the size of an adult, at 10 months it acquires puberty.

In captivity, the animal lives 11 - 12 years. Conditions close to habitual life can only be created in a zoo. But even there, acclimatization is difficult - the immunity of the manul decreases, the animal begins to get sick.

A protected enclosure quickly becomes a home environment and a safe haven. The new place of residence of manul frees from strangers with the help of teeth and claws, steadfastly protects from encroachment in the future. These predators in the zoo feed on their usual food, lead an active lifestyle, can breed and care for their offspring. Pallas's cubs born in captivity have low immunity and are prone to disease, quite often they do not live to puberty.

Manul at home is a rare, unpredictable phenomenon. The animal has an indomitable disposition, practically cannot be domesticated, eschews humans and other pets.

Taken by a small helpless kitten, a domestic manul quickly forgets those who fed it or tried to tame it. It shows the traits of a predator from the age of four months, in response to a gentle movement in relation to it, it can immediately pounce, scratch and even bite.

The owner of a fluffy animal will have to come to terms with wallpaper torn to shreds, curtains, furniture spoiled forever, and given the pet’s twilight lifestyle, with sleepless nights. Certain inconveniences are caused by the increased fluffiness of animals - domestic manuls constantly shed, shedding their hair in tatters, require frequent combing and other hygiene procedures.

Manula kittens in captivity often get sick due to imperfect immunity. It is difficult to cure them, and sometimes even impossible. Diseases are not thoroughly studied, there are no special methods of treatment for them, standard ones are not suitable.

Buying a manul is not at all easy, real breeders are rare. Catching animals is prohibited and they are protected by law. This must be remembered when purchasing a pet from hand. Before you decide on such an act, you should think it over well. One thing is clear - a normal and fulfilling life awaits a manul in the wild or in a zoo, but not in an apartment. The price of an animal on the market starts from $3,000.

Superorder

Laurasiatheria Laurasiatheria

Detachment

Predatory Carnivora

Suborder

Feliformia Feliformia

International scientific name

Manul, or pallas cat(lat. Felis manul), or (lat. Otocolobus manul) - predatory (lat. Carnivora) mammal (lat. mammalia) of the cat family (lat. Felidae).

A wild cat that lives in Central and Central Asia.

This name was given to the cat in honor of the Russian naturalist of German origin Peter Simon Pallas, who discovered manul on the coast of the Caspian Sea in the 18th century.

Appearance

Since ancient times, manul has not changed much. It remained the same as it was 12 million years ago.

We can say that the manul looks like an angry, well-fed catwho is dissatisfied with the surrounding reality.

With all this, this wild cat is one of the most ancient progenitors of modern felines.

The weight of the manul is only 2-5 kg, and its body is at most 60-70 cm long. In this way, it is very similar to domestic cats. It differs from its domesticated counterparts in a somewhat flattened shape of the muzzle, bordered by fluffy fur, short thick legs and tail, dense physique and "increased hairiness".

There is an opinion that the manul is the ancestor of the persian cat, which he resembles most of all.

The length of the manul's fur reaches 7 cm. The fur is usually light gray or ash-red in color, and its very tips are white. It is the fur that visually increases the volume of the manul, which secured him the fame of the fat man of the cat world.

Range and subspecies

The range of the manul is quite wide: it can be found in Central and Central Asia, the Caucasus, Transbaikalia, Siberia, Mongolia and in a number of regions of China.

The main rule of the manul is the absence of a person in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bhis habitat.

In its habitat, the manul has no natural enemies, except for humans.

There are only three subspecies of manuls in the world. Each of the subspecies has its own original color.

• Otocolobus manul manul (nominal or Siberian manul).

The subspecies has been known since 1776. It has a typical light gray color and is found in most of its range, although it is most often seen in some regions of Siberia, Mongolia and China.

• Otocolobus manul nigripecta (Tibetan manul)

The subspecies has been known since 1842. It has a darker color, which turns into silver in winter. It is found in Nepal and Tibet, in the northern regions of Pakistan and India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

• Otocolobus manul ferruginea (Central Asian manul)

The subspecies has been known since 1842. It has a reddish fur color and rather pronounced reddish stripes. It can be found in Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and other countries of Central Asia.

Lifestyle in captivity

Manul's lifestyle leaves a certain imprint on its existence in captivity. Manul is not domesticated, he shows great aggression and can attack people.

Although there they also show their temper, they always perceive a person as an enemy, and try to protect the piece of territory that is allocated to him.

Usually manuls are not aggressive. But, if someone invades his personal space, he can become very dangerous. Its fangs are almost three times longer than those of a normal cat.

Manul is very secretive and independent.

These cats even prefer to get sick alone. Manul is just trying to hide, so it is quite difficult to notice the malaise, except for the most obvious cases.

However, manul breeds well in captivity.

A high mortality rate from toxoplasmosis was noted in the Pallas' cat, with which they become infected from their urban counterparts, while this disease is unknown to them in the wild.

Nevertheless, it is zoos that do a lot to study the manul, which is almost impossible in natural conditions.

With the help of zoos, exploratory work is being carried out aimed at studying the species in order to preserve it and prevent it from disappearing from the face of the Earth.

Indeed, even in the reserves, a meeting with a manul is a great success, since this animal has long been on the verge of extinction.

Character

Manul has a rather complex character. He does not easily get along with his relatives, therefore he leads a lonely lifestyle.

Each manul lives within its territory, rarely crosses its borders and does not allow strangers into its territory.

Manul likes to hunt at night or in the morning. He prefers to track down small rodents, hares and birds.

Manul is a rather slow animal. It is unlike other felines living in the wild in this respect.

The loneliness of the manul is also determined by its habitat - these are steppes, foothills and mountain heights, in which it is in relative isolation from the overpopulated animal world of forests and other natural zones of our planet.

reproduction

Manul breaks the vow of loneliness only once a year, when he enters the mating season. From February to March, males try to win the hearts of females. This is usually accompanied by a lot of noise and fights.

The offspring are raised, however, only by females, while males are not at all interested in the fate of their own cubs. The female carries the cubs for 2 months, after which she has from 2 to 6 kittens.

Babies weigh no more than 70-100 grams. A caring mother diligently protects them, feeds them and prepares them for the first hunt. The mother takes out her cubs for hunting at about the age of three months. An international comprehensive research and production program was adopted: "Study, conservation and reproduction of manul", which is designed for 10 years. Its purpose is:

• To develop a technology for keeping and breeding manul in artificially created conditions.
• Creation of a stable breeding and genetically complete aviary population of manul in artificially created conditions.
• Obtaining the most complete information about the biology of this species.
• Contribute to the conservation of manul in nature.

It should be noted that the number of manula in the territory of the Russian Federation was 2.2 - 2.8 thousand individuals, as of 1991.

The maximum number of manuls was recorded in the Chita region, as well as in the Republic of Buryatia and in the Altai Territory.

But counting individuals of this species is a big problem, since the habitat of the manul is quite large, and it is very difficult to make at least an approximate picture of the population distribution of the species because of the secretive lifestyle of the manul.

Popularity.

Turkmenistan issued a commemorative silver coin of 500 manats with the image of a manul.

And at the end of 2012, the manul received the highest recognition, becoming the official mascot of the Moscow Zoo, and now it flaunts on its emblem.

Despite the reputation of the animal as gloomy and unsociable - and perhaps precisely because of it - the manul is still a favorite of the Internet audience. Communities of fans of manuls are being created, fan clubs are being formed. For example, Zamanula.ru is a site for manul.

Sources

Literature

• Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg: 1890-1907.
• Ognev S. I. Animals of the USSR and adjacent countries, t. 3, M. - L., 1935;
• Mammals (Research on the fauna of the Soviet Union). Collection of works of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, 1979, 280 pages.

Pallas cat or manul is one of the most mysterious and unpredictable animals of the predatory world. It is only known that the word "manul" is of Turkic origin, but no one knows the exact meaning, in fact, how and why it was called that.

The animal received its second name after the German scientist Peter Pallas, while traveling through the Caspian steppes, saw this predator for the first time. It was he who described the habits, appearance of the animal, which is why the latter got its name. It should be noted that manul is one of the most ancient animals.

natural habitat

Predators of this type live in the mountains, where the temperature and terrain are suitable for them. Manul chooses territories with low temperatures, the presence of shrubs and grass, gorges and little snow cover. There must be rock outcrops. The warm climate is very bad for manul, but if you create the most comfortable conditions for him, he almost never gets sick.

Due to the increased interest of a person in this predator, but not as a study of the animal, but solely for the purpose of profit, the natural habitat for the manul is gradually becoming dangerous. The number of the animal is rapidly declining due to shooting, catching and environmental degradation in the area where they live as comfortably as possible. In addition, the quality of life is also negatively affected by the fact that food supplies for manul are also declining, and quite quickly.

In the wild, the Pallas cat is found on the territory of Transbaikalia, Iran, Iraq, Transcaucasia, in the mountainous region of Mongolia. Occasionally, a wild cat can be found in China.

Appearance

Judging only by appearance, it gives the impression of a round, not particularly turning beast. But, the appearance is deceiving - under a huge amount of wool is a small but hardy body of a manul. The size is not particularly larger than a simple domestic cat, but the structure is more muscular.

The weight of a wild cat does not exceed five kilograms, the length of the body ranges from 52-65 centimeters, the tail is large enough for such sizes - 25-35 centimeters. The body rests on short, squat legs.

The coloring is quite specific - it helps the cat to hide from larger predators and hunt successfully. It should be noted that the wild cat is practically the only feline with such a thick coat. If we compare it with domestic cats, then only the Persian cat bypasses the Pallas cat.

Lifestyle

Manul, like many other predators, prefers to live separately. An adult chooses its territory and strictly guards it. He equips his habitat in rocks, crevices, caves. It can equip holes on its own or choose those already abandoned by other animals.

Despite the fact that a wild cat quickly and clearly deals with uninvited guests, if there is an opportunity to avoid a fight, he will do it. The cat shows tenderness and suppleness only during the mating season, when it seduces the female.

The Pallas cat spends most of the day and night in its hole. He has practically no enemies in the wild. But, the danger for him is the steppe eagle, golden eagle and wolf.

As for interaction with a person, here a wild cat fully corresponds to its name - when it meets, it instantly disappears from its place. It is very difficult to tame him, and then only from childhood. The predator comes out to hunt only in the dark. In the daytime, he can also hunt, but only for small rodents or birds.