Pallas’ cat (Otocolobus manul)
Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 152510989
Status Assessment of Pallas’ cat Otocolobus manul (Pallas, 1776) in one of its westernmost distribution extents in Alborz Mountains, Iran
This project aimed to collect some basic data about the ecology and conservation needs of Pallas' cat in the Central Alborz Mountain reserves of Iran, which the presence of Pallas' cat has been confirmed. The main goal is to achieve better understanding of the status of this species for future conservation planning.
To gain our conservation goals the following objectives has been sets:
1- Status assessment of Pallas' cat population in the study sites.
2- Preliminary threat assessment and prioritization of species conservation needs.
3- Preliminary diet study of Pallas' cat and assessment of its prey status.
4- Better understanding of the environmental variables affecting Pallas's cat abundance.
5- Awareness-raising on existence of Pallas' cat in the Alborz Mountains to local communities and reserve rangers.
These objectives will be support by the activities which will accomplish during of this phase of our project.
• Camera trapping in selective area depends on variable such as size of the area, number of cameras, previous records, and level of security in the region for cameras and on.
• Rapid sign surveys on each area
• Interview with local communities for collecting local's information and point of view
• Gathering mortality reports and information on potential conflicts by using interview surveys for preliminary threat assessment and prioritization of species conservation needs.
• Opportunistic scat sampling and observation of hunting behavior of Pallas' cat
• Workshops with reserve rangers and members of local communities for sharing the result of the project with local communities and rangers as a step to awareness raising.