A leopard cat was found dead after apparently being hit by a vehicle on a road about two kilometres from Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima today, October 13.
The animal was found on a highway near a school in Pong Ta Long subdistrict, Pak Chong district.
A Mu Si police officer spotted the animal while travelling back to the station after finishing duty in the morning and contacted Khao Yai National Park rangers to inspect it.
He said he initially thought the spotted animal lying on the road might be a tiger cub, but realised after looking more closely that it was a leopard cat.
Park officials believe the animal was struck by a vehicle while crossing the road during its nighttime search for food.
Khao Yai National Park chief Chaiya Huaihongthong said the leopard cat is a protected wild mammal under Thailand’s wildlife protection law.
Leopard cats are small wild felines that resemble domestic cats but have slightly longer legs and distinctive spots across their bodies. They are primarily active at night.
Chaiya said the species is found in Thailand and elsewhere in Asia and described it as a rare animal that has appeared on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since 2002.
He said the death highlighted the risks wildlife face when moving near roads around protected forest areas.
Motorists travelling near forests and wildlife habitats were urged to reduce their speed and watch for animals crossing the road, particularly at night.
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