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A female flat-headed cat (*Prionailurus planiceps*) and her cub have been captured by camera traps in southern Thailand—the strongest sign yet that this endangered wetland specialist is still living and reproducing in the country.
The records were made in 2024 and 2025 at Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary in Narathiwat Province, after Thailand had gone nearly three decades without a confirmed record. The last confirmed Thai sighting was in 1995. Researchers have now reported 13 camera-trap sightings in 2024 and 16 in 2025, but those 29 detections do not represent 29 individual cats.
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A mother and cub ended a 29-year gap
Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation worked with Panthera Thailand to confirm that flat-headed cats remain in the country. The finding was announced on December 26, 2025, after researchers spent more than a year checking the records and arranging additional protection measures.
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For years, the flat-headed cat had been regarded as likely extinct in Thailand because no confirmed national record had been reported since 1995. “Reappeared” therefore means that the species has been confirmed alive in Thailand again—not that it has been removed from the Endangered category or that its population has rebounded nationally.
Where the cats were found
The records came from Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary in far southern Thailand’s Narathiwat Province. The sanctuary is closely associated with the To Daeng peat-swamp forest, a lowland wetland landscape that matches the flat-headed cat’s known habitat preferences.
Flat-headed cats are strongly associated with places containing water, including peat swamps, marshes, lakes, streams and riverine forests. Protecting this kind of habitat is particularly important because lowland wetlands are often vulnerable to drainage, agricultural conversion and development.
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What the camera traps recorded
Panthera’s later account gives the clearest headline figures: 13 camera-trap sightings in 2024 and 16 in 2025. These numbers describe detections or records made by the monitoring project, not a confirmed count of animals.
A separate Panthera annual report used somewhat different counting units. It described 13 detections and 21 images from targeted remote cameras at Princess Sirindhorn, along with 13 additional detections from a pilot study in the To Daeng swamp forest. Those figures should not simply be added to the 13-and-16 headline totals, because “detections,” “sightings,” “records” and “images” can refer to different parts of a survey and may include repeated photographs of the same animal.
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That limitation is especially important for this species. Flat-headed cats do not have sufficiently distinctive markings for researchers to identify every individual reliably from photographs. The current records therefore establish presence—and, through the mother-and-cub image, reproduction—but not abundance.
What is a flat-headed cat?
The flat-headed cat is a small wild cat weighing approximately 2 kilograms. Its name comes from its unusually flattened forehead and long, narrow head. Other distinctive features include:
- small, rounded ears;
- close-set eyes;
- reddish-brown to gray-tinged fur;
- a short tail;
- partially exposed claws; and
- unusually webbed toes.
These are not merely unusual appearances. The cat’s feet and claws help it move through wet environments and grip slippery prey, while its teeth are adapted for holding animals such as fish. Species accounts report that flat-headed cats may take fish with their heads fully submerged.
They are believed to hunt mainly fish and frogs, with small rodents, crustaceans and birds also included in available accounts. Fruit has been mentioned as a possible food as well. Flat-headed cats are generally considered solitary and primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, making them difficult to observe directly even where they survive.
For readers who want broader context on wild-cat behavior and conservation, The Wild Cat Book: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Cats includes coverage of the flat-headed cat. It is a general wild-cat reference, not a Thailand-specific field guide.
Why the rediscovery matters
The discovery changes what scientists can say about Thailand’s flat-headed cats. The species is no longer best described as probably extinct within the country; it is confirmed to survive in at least one southern wetland landscape.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe mother-and-cub record is also unusually valuable because comparatively little is known about flat-headed-cat reproduction in the wild. The IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group lists a typical litter size of one to two kittens. The Thai image confirms breeding at this location, but it does not establish a birth rate, a stable breeding population or long-term population growth.
The project also demonstrates why persistent monitoring matters. Flat-headed cats are small, elusive, difficult to identify individually and most active when people are least likely to see them. Remote cameras can continue recording in dense or flooded habitat without requiring researchers to remain on site. Panthera described the work as the largest flat-headed-cat survey conducted to date.
Still an Endangered species
The flat-headed cat remains classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is listed in Appendix I of CITES. Panthera estimates that approximately 2,500 mature individuals remain worldwide, although that figure is an estimate rather than a precise census. The Thai camera-trap records cannot be converted into a local or national population estimate.
The species’ distribution is patchy and localized around water bodies, and reliable density estimates are not available. Its main threats include:
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- destruction and degradation of wetlands and lowland forest;
- drainage and conversion of peat-swamp habitat;
- agriculture and oil-palm plantations;
- settlements, roads and dams;
- water pollution;
- overfishing and depletion of aquatic prey;
- hunting, snaring and poisoning;
- fragmentation that isolates small groups; and
- disease transmission from domestic animals.
Publicity can create an additional risk for a rare animal. Exact locations may attract disturbance, illegal trapping or wildlife traffickers. The delayed announcement in Thailand allowed authorities time to confirm the records and put added protection measures in place. For that reason, responsible reporting should celebrate the discovery without publishing sensitive camera locations or encouraging visitors to search for the cats.
What researchers still need to learn
The survey leaves several major questions unanswered:
- How many cats are present? The 29 detections across 2024 and 2025 may include repeated appearances by the same animals.
- How wide is their Thai distribution? The records confirm survival in the surveyed southern wetland landscape, but they do not show the full extent of the species’ range in Thailand.
- Is this one connected population? Researchers do not yet know whether the photographs represent one group or several small, separated groups.
- How healthy is the habitat? Continued habitat assessment will be needed to determine whether the sanctuary can support flat-headed cats over the long term.
- How does the Thai population relate to cats elsewhere in Southeast Asia? Additional genetic work and standardized monitoring could help answer that question.
Further camera trapping, habitat surveys, genetic analysis and standardized abundance methods will be necessary. A camera trap can prove that an elusive species is present, but repeated photographs alone cannot tell researchers how many animals occupy a wetland or whether the population is increasing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the discovery really tells us
Thailand’s flat-headed cat has not been brought back from extinction. Rather, a species feared extinct in the country has been found alive, breeding and using a protected southern wetland after a long period without confirmed records.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11That is an important conservation opportunity—but not an all-clear signal. The cats still depend on vulnerable peat-swamp and lowland wetland habitat, face threats across their range and remain difficult to monitor. The next measure of success will be whether Thailand can protect the habitat and document a viable population over time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are flat-headed cats extinct in Thailand?
No. They were considered likely extinct in Thailand after the last confirmed record in 1995, but camera traps confirmed their presence again in southern Thailand in 2024 and 2025.
How many flat-headed cats were found?
Researchers reported 13 camera-trap sightings in 2024 and 16 in 2025. These 29 detections are not a count of 29 individual cats because the same animals may have appeared more than once, and the species is difficult to identify individually from photographs.
Where do flat-headed cats live?
They are wetland specialists associated with lowland rainforest, peat swamps, marshes, lakes, streams and riverine forest, usually near substantial water sources.
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What do flat-headed cats eat?
Their diet is thought to consist mainly of fish and frogs, with small rodents, crustaceans and birds also reported in species accounts. They have been observed taking fish with their heads submerged.
The Bottom Line
The flat-headed cat is confirmed alive and reproducing in Thailand, but the rediscovery is not proof of a recovered population. Protecting southern wetlands and conducting careful long-term monitoring will determine whether this rare wild cat has a secure future there.
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