Asian golden cats at Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo has a male Asian golden cat called Bruno, and a female called Swa-fai. Bruno was born in April 1997 and came to us from Holland’s Wassenaar Wildlife Breeding Centre in April 2006. Swa-fai was born in 2008, at Le Parc des Felins in France and arrived in Edinburgh in April 2009.
Where it can be found at Edinburgh Zoo
The Asian golden cat enclosure can be found to the right of the sun bear enclosure.
Asian golden cats in the wild
The Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) is a medium-sized wild cat, typically weighing about 25 – 35 lbs (12-16 kg). Its average length is about 4 feet (140 cm) including its tail. The Asian golden cat ranges from the lowlands of Southeast Asia up into the Himalayas, sometimes up to 3,000 metres. Its range includes parts of Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
The beautiful coat of the Asian golden cat ranges from a dark orangey red to a golden brown, and is thick and coarse. Depending on the geographical location, Asian golden cats may have light spots on the underside; in China, they have darker rosettes all over the coat, similar to those of the leopard cat.
Asian golden cats are mainly nocturnal (active at night), although sometimes they appear during the day as well. They are opportunistic predators, eating ground birds, rodents, reptiles, and other small-to-medium prey.
The Asian golden cat is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as Near Threatened. Threats to the Asian golden cat include habitat loss due to deforestation, indiscriminate snaring, and illegal trade in its pelt and bones. In Southeast Asia, it is also threatened by falling numbers of prey animals.
Breeding programme category: EEP
IUCN Red List category: Near threatened
Adopt an Asian golden cat A great way to support RZSS – buy it for yourself or as a gift for the animal lover in your life!