Recently, a strange cat-like animal, subsequently identified as the spotted linsang (Prionodon pardicolor) by experts, was found in Shaoguan, Guangdong.

Belonging to the civet cat family, the spotted linsang is a tree-dwelling carnivorous mammal. With a long, slender body, short limbs, elongated neck and head, and long tail, it primarily inhabits evergreen forests and shrubland below 2,500 meters above sea level. It usually hunts on the ground and in trees and feeds on rodents, frogs and snakes. 

The linsang is widely, though usually sparsely, recorded, and listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in 2015. It was also listed as a national second-class protected animal in China in 2021. The discovery of linsang on the roadside in Shaoguan in recent days indicates that the environment here has gradually improved and is suitable for this kind of animal to inhabit.

The forests are crucial to their survival and reproduction. On the other hand, the dietary habit of linsang can help eliminate some rodents, which is conducive to the protection of ecological balance and agricultural production, according to experts.

Author | Alice, Catherine(intern)

Editor | Wing, Olivia, Abby, Jerry