Yamamaya!

October 29, 2008 2:23 AM

On a Japanese island just east of Taiwan lives the Iriomote wildcat. Numbering between 60 and 100, this creature has been critically endangered since its discovery in 1967, although it has likely never numbered more than a few hundred in the 200,000 years it's lived on the island. The Iriomote wildcat is protected, and endearing to many Japanese - it was even featured in the popular anime Azumanga Daioh (warning: English dub). The chances you'll see one are slim, but conservation efforts continue.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing (15 comments total)

I'm embarrassed that I've lived in Japan for 13 years now and knew next to nothing about Iriomote Island, and that includes how surprisingly close to Taiwan it is. I think all I knew was that that it was part of Yaeyama, and the only thing I knew about Yaeyama was that some great folk music comes from there. Here's a little taste.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:12 AM on October 29, 2008

Perhaps it would help if they fed them whale meat...
posted by fairmettle at 3:28 AM on October 29, 2008

"I can haz dinoburger?"

"Ekstinkt, NOT WANT!!1111"
posted by dagosto at 4:16 AM on October 29, 2008

Otherwise known as the Pika Meow Meow.
posted by panboi at 4:29 AM on October 29, 2008

I get so weary of everything beautiful, rare, unusual and vital on this planet being wiped out, killed, poisoned, destroyed. On the occasional day that I read good news about the planet, its usually something along the lines of "its not yet gone" or "its not as bad as we thought it would be by now."
posted by Auden at 4:39 AM on October 29, 2008

In this time of surplus, we should feed the kitty all the extra Minke Whale it can eat. Meow!
posted by not_on_display at 4:41 AM on October 29, 2008

Oops, the "Meow" link was supposed to go here, lah.
posted by not_on_display at 4:44 AM on October 29, 2008

Is there something about the wildcats that makes breeding them in captivity especially hard? I never read about breeding programs, which you'd expect lead to a giant increase in population if under taken. Is the size of the population so small that the removal of some breeding pairs be too damaging?
posted by Atreides at 6:26 AM on October 29, 2008

I don't know why but the link 'critically endangered' causes Safari to crash. Cute cat though.
posted by tellurian at 6:47 AM on October 29, 2008

endangered cat is endangered
posted by R_Nebblesworth at 7:16 AM on October 29, 2008

I like how often endangered animals are also delicacies.
posted by adipocere at 7:42 AM on October 29, 2008

The chances you'll see one are slim

Like most cats I have lived with, the Iriomote cat rewards lucky gawkers with a magnificent display of hindquarters washing!
posted by aught at 7:47 AM on October 29, 2008 [2 favorites]

The second link is a straight-up cut-and-paste of the Wikipedia article.
posted by squarehead at 11:11 AM on October 29, 2008

I went to Iriomote-jima about 10 years ago and saw a pack of them grazing in the highlands.

.... no, that's a lie. I did go there, but didn't see any. I caught a glimpse of Taiwan, though.
posted by sour cream at 1:52 PM on October 29, 2008

i want one! but why can't they sheath their claws?
posted by Maias at 7:06 PM on October 29, 2008