The official portal "Wildlife of Russia" reported an extraordinary discovery by participants of a scientific expedition studying Pallas's cats in Saylyugem National Park. They managed to capture video footage of a female with four kittens.
During the expedition, scientists surveyed potential habitats for Pallas's cats in the Kosh-Agach region of the Altai Republic, particularly rocky outcrops, areas near marmot colonies, and abandoned burrows of these animals. The family was recorded near one such burrow.
According to the video, the kittens are approximately 30-35 days old. Capturing such footage is a tremendous stroke of luck for the researchers, as Pallas's cats lead an extremely reclusive life and are well-camouflaged. The specialists will now analyze the collected material and prepare scientific articles.
In Russia, Pallas's cats are found in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Altai Republic, Transbaikalia, and Tuva. The last population count for this predator in the Altai Mountains was conducted by Novosibirsk scientists from 2006 to 2009, at which time experts estimated the population in the region to be between 650 and 680 individuals.
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