According to Port Lympne, this is a near-threatened species of wild cat. It is widely distributed through Kazakhstan, Pakistan and northern India but is rarely seen in the wild. They are incredibly secretive and change their coat colour seasonally to allow them to blend into rocky habitat. They have long, dense coats which shields them from the freezing temperatures, common across their natural range. Another adaptation is their small rounded ears which are set low on the sides of their head to stop them from breaking cover when stalking prey in their sparse habitat.
Many thanks for all your recent comments, much appreciated
This is a great shot of a very serious looking cat. For us, in Aust, it's always a bit strange to think of a cat as a native. For us they are just domestic pets or huge feral pests. :)
Ian
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