Steppe, desert and rocky mountain regions living at altitudes up to 10,000 feet.
Most active at dawn and dusk, these elusive cats are solitary except during mating season or when a mother is caring for her kittens—teaching them the skills they will need for survival. Pallas' cats den in small caves and cracks and in the abandoned burrows of marmots, foxes and badgers. They are adapted for life in cold climates where temperatures may reach lows of minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Their extremely thick and heavy coats and long bushy tails help them combat the cold. These cats are not adept runners but are excellent ambush predators. Their coloration blends into the vegetation allowing them to sneak up on prey.
65-75 days; 1-8 young
Pallas' cats are hunted for their pelts in parts of their natural range. Currently, one of the biggest threats to their survival is the poisoning of their main food source, pika. These small rabbit-like animals are considered pests and competitors with livestock grazing. Pallas' cats are losing their prey sources as well as consuming the poisoned prey.
Ivanna (female) born April 2004,
Katya (female) born May 2003. All arrived at UHZ June 2006.
Keeper Jill VanMilligen went to Mongolia in 2009 to study the wild Pallas' Cats population with Cincinnati Zoos director of research of their Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife, Dr. Bill Swanson and the veterinarian of Buffalo Zoo Dr. Kurt Volle.