Zhang Wanjun, Jimu News reporter of Chutian Metropolis Daily
html On June 30, a group of wild animals similar to domestic cats appeared in the vegetable field of a villager's house in Changshan Town, Huadian City, Jilin Province. They were only a few meters away from the villagers and stayed there. The cute appearance attracted the attention of netizens. Wildlife protection experts said that they are national second-level protected animals leopard cats, and villagers are advised not to have contact with them.
Multiple online videos show an adult cat that looks similar to a domestic cat playing with three cubs in a vegetable field, just a few meters away from a man. Their meows were obviously different from those of domestic cats; after noticing someone was nearby, the adult felines left the vegetable patch with three cubs and looked at the videographer for a few seconds.
Video screenshot
The above video has been liked by more than 40,000 netizens and commented by more than 7,000 netizens. Some netizens said that these cats are leopard cats, a national second-level protected animal, while others said that they are wild cats.
html On July 1, the video publisher, Mr. Zhao, told Jimu News that at noon on June 30, he saw the cats in the video in the vegetable field of his hometown in Changxing Village, Changshan Town, Huadian City, Jilin City. They are slightly larger than domestic cats, and their sounds are different, which feels quite strange. The animals stayed in his vegetable patch for a few minutes, then probably got scared when they spotted someone and left the scene. A few minutes later, they returned, and the big cat ran toward a nearby hill with the cub in its mouth.
Mr. Zhao said that local villagers call these animals wild cats and like to eat the villagers’ chickens and ducks, but he does not know what animals they are.
An expert from the Jilin Wildlife Conservation Association told Jimu News that the animal photographed by Mr. Zhao is a national second-level protected animal leopard cat northern subspecies . This season of the year is the breeding season of leopard cats, and the cubs in the video should just be During the full moon, the adult cats take them out to practice hunting. There are a large number of leopard cats in Jilin City, but due to their habit of hiding during the day and coming out at night, it is difficult for citizens to see them in the wild. Leopard cats eat a wide range of foods, such as pheasants, squirrels, etc. They also prey on villagers' poultry in winter.
The expert said that citizens should not worry if they encounter an ocelot, as it generally does not attack humans. If a leopard cat is injured or trapped, citizens should not touch or rescue it easily because its claws are very sharp and can easily cause harm to people. It is recommended to contact forestry staff for rescue as soon as possible.
