Protected and Dead Cases of Iriomote cats (Felis iriomotensis) in 1996 and 1997

Abstract

In 1996 and 1997 three dead and two living Iriomote cats (Felis iriomotensis) were brought to the Wildlife Conservation Center of the Environmental Agency, Iriomote Island, Okinawa Prefecture. Two of the three dead cases were adult and due to traffic accidents, while the other juvenile was suggested to be fatally bitten by some animal. One of the two living cases was seriously injured by traffic accident and successfully recovered. Another living case, supposedly a suckling of a dead case mentioned above, grew up well and was released into the wild life, but 3 months later it was found dead by unknown cause.