2009 Volume 13 Issue 1 Pages 22-23
The Tsushima leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura) is indigenous to the island of Tsushima in Nagasaki prefecture, Japan, and was declared as a critically endangered species by Species Conservation Act of Japan. In 1996, one of the wild Tsushima leopard cats was found to positive for FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus) that was original in domestic cats. Many captive or feral domestic cats can be found all over the island, and they might carry the FIV to the Tsushima leopard cat. According to the result of this survey, FIV infection rates in captive domestic cats were 13.6% (38/280) in Kami-shima (Northern Island) distributed the population of Tsushima leopard cats, and 10.6%(46/433) in Shimo-shima (Southern island) not confirmed the population. It was found through the GIS analysis that there are some specific areas where the FIV infection risks for the Tsushima leopard cat are much higher than other areas. It was recommended that it should be intensively done the action for prevention the Tsushima leopard cat from the FIV infection in this high risk area.
