Countries and cultures - World regions - Iriomote - Endemic species - Japanese wildlife - Japan
Which rare wildcat lives only on Japan's Iriomote Island?
Correct!
The Iriomote wildcat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis) is a subspecies of the leopard cat and occurs only on Iriomote Island in the far southwest of Japan. Japan's national parks explicitly describe it as a wildcat found exclusively on Iriomotejima Island. Iriomote is remarkably small for an island with its own wildcat population. The cat is at the top of the food chain there and lives mainly in subtropical forests, wetlands and areas along waterways. The species is one of Japan's specially protected and endangered wild animals. Road accidents are also a threat, which is why special protection measures are taken on Iriomote.
The Iriomote wildcat lives only on Japan's Iriomote Island and is critically endangered.
