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Thailand’s flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) has been confirmed in the country again after its last documented record in 1995. Camera traps in Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary recorded the small, semi-aquatic wild cat in 2024 and 2025, including a female with a cub. That sequence indicates the species is reproducing there, although it does not reveal how many flat-headed cats live in Thailand or worldwide.
What rare cat came back after 30 years?
The animal is the flat-headed cat, a wild Southeast Asian species—not a domestic-cat breed. It has a distinctly flattened forehead, a low-slung profile and partially webbed toes adapted to wet ground and shallow water.
Thailand’s previous documented record was from 1995. The new images are therefore a confirmation after a 29-year documentation gap, rather than proof that every flat-headed cat disappeared from the country for exactly 29 years.
Where was the camera-trap footage taken?
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and Panthera Thailand ran a large ecological camera-trap survey in the To Daeng peat-swamp forest, inside Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Thailand.
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Peat swamps and other wetlands are critical to this cat. They provide the water, dense cover and prey associated with its semi-aquatic way of life, but they are vulnerable to drainage, conversion and pollution.
How many flat-headed cats were photographed?
The survey produced repeated camera-trap detections across two years:
| Year | Reported detections | What the number means |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | Camera-trap records during the survey year, not 13 confirmed individual cats |
| 2025 | 16 | Additional records during the following survey year |
| Total | 29 | The combined detections reported by Panthera; AFP reporting published by the South China Morning Post also describes 29 total detections |
Detection counts measure photographic records. The same cat can trigger cameras more than once, so they cannot be converted directly into a population count without individual identification and a formal population analysis.
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- EDIBLE WILD PLANTS: EAST & CEN
Does the mother-and-cub footage prove the species is breeding?
It is strong evidence of active reproduction at the sanctuary. A female was recorded with a cub, which is materially different from finding one unexplained adult. Panthera describes the sequence as evidence that the species is breeding in the protected area.
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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 minuteThat observation still has limits: it does not establish the number of breeding females, the size of the local population or the species’ total distribution in Thailand.
Was the flat-headed cat really extinct in Thailand?
No formal extinction declaration is established by the 1995–2024 gap. The species had not been documented in Thailand for nearly three decades, but a lack of records is not the same as proof that no animals survived. Dense peat-swamp habitat is difficult to survey, and camera traps can detect animals that people rarely see.
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The new records are best described as a rediscovery or reconfirmation in Thailand. They show that flat-headed cats persist in Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary; they do not automatically change the species’ formal conservation category.
Why this cat is difficult to find
A wetland specialist
Flat-headed cats are among the most water-associated wild cats. Their flattened head, webbed toes and other adaptations help them hunt in wet environments, including peat swamps and waterways.
A species under pressure
Panthera estimates that about 2,500 adults remain worldwide (Panthera, 2025). This is a global estimate, not a Thai population count. Reported threats include:
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- Loss and degradation of wetlands and peat swamps
- Agricultural encroachment
- Fishing-related impacts and hunting
- Pollution of waterways
- Diseases that can pass from domestic animals
Protecting the sanctuary’s wetland is therefore as important as documenting the cats. A camera image confirms presence, while habitat protection determines whether that presence lasts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How camera traps made the confirmation possible
Remote cameras record wildlife without requiring observers to be present. They can operate day and night along animal trails and wetland edges, building a time-stamped record over months. In this survey, repeated detections in 2024 and 2025, including the female-and-cub sequence, provided stronger evidence than a single fleeting sighting.
The cited announcements do not identify the camera make or model. The published result should therefore be understood as a professional, large-scale ecological survey by DNP and Panthera—not as a population estimate generated by a specified consumer camera.
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What the rediscovery means for conservation
Kritsana Kaewplang, Panthera Thailand Country Director, said: “After nearly three decades, this rediscovery shows what’s possible when science and strong protection come together.”
The practical lesson is cautious optimism. The sanctuary still supports a reproducing flat-headed cat, but the species remains dependent on threatened wetlands and is globally scarce. Continued patrols, habitat protection, disease-risk management around domestic animals and further monitoring will be needed to learn whether the recorded family is part of a larger, secure population.
Quick Recap
What the footage does—and does not—show
- It shows: flat-headed cats are present in Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary; they were detected in both 2024 and 2025; and a female was recorded with a cub.
- It does not show: the total number of cats in Thailand, the global population, or that the species’ formal conservation status has changed.
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