By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Three juvenile Visayan Leopard cats locally known as “Maral” were rescued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

Based on information released by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) on Monday, the three juvenile cats were found in the city’s Barangay Luna.

DENR and CENRO officials along with a veterinarian immediately conducted a check-up on the three felines, and fortunately all three were noted to be in good health.

According to a post in the Cadiz CENRO’s official Facebook page, the Visayan Leopard cat is a small wild felid found in both Negros and Panay islands.

In Negros Occidental, the feline lives in a variety of habitats including sugarcane plantations with woodlands, primary and secondary forests, and mixed tree plantations.

They are noted to have large eyes which allow them to see and forage at night.

The loss of the Maral’s habitat often forces the species to live close to human habitations which further increases the risk of human-animal conflict.

Aside from being sold as pets, adult Visayan Leopard cat’s pelts are also gathered which is currently blamed for their marked decline in population.

The Visayan Leopard cat is currently tagged as a “vulnerable” species, especially as they have already lost 90 to 95 percent of their natural habitat in Panay and Negros.

The feline was also previously found in the neighboring islands of Cebu and Masbate, however, it is highly believed that they are already locally extinct or close to extinction in the said islands./DGB, WDJ