Awesome Nature #16

Pallas's Cat
Type: Mammal Lives In: Central Asia Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Just when you probably thought all the most awesome cats of the world had been well-documented, along comes this rather awesome creature! Named for the German naturalist who discovered it, Peter Pallas, these small felines are only found in the remote mountainous and steppe regions of Central Asia where they live alone in caves and burrows. They spend most of their time in these hidey-holes (which are often 'borrowed' from marmots or foxes), usually emerging in the late afternoon to hunt the various smaller creatures they like (including the equally-amusing pika). It must be pretty damn cold there too, as they're covered in long, thick fur which not only makes them the fluffiest cats I've ever seen but also makes them look like the porkiest! Sadly but unsurprisingly, this luxurious coat also means the manul (as it is also known) has been hunted in fairly large numbers over the years and is now being intentionally poisoned as well. Good old humans...

Why It Is Awesome: It's a super-fluff cat!

Check out this amusing example who apparently felt eyes on him!