Recent Conservation Programs for the Iriomote Cat Felis iriomotensis.

Abstract

The Iriomote cat Felis iriomotensis is a small-sized felid species endemic to Iriomote Island, Japan. The population size of this cat seems to be only about 100, as estimated in both 1985 and 1995. This indicates that the population is stable but small. The Iriomote cat is categorized as nEndangered" on the Red Lists by IUCN (1996) and by the Environment Agency of Japan (1998). Habitat destruction and fragmentation, traffic accidents, negative influences of newly introduced animals, and the inhoduction and spread of exotic diseases seem to be the potential threats to the small insular population of the lriomote cat. The Japanese Government recently initiated some programs for its conservation. In addition, collaborative projects have been organized by the govemment and university researchers for the purpose ofcollecting basic ecological data on this endangered species.