A Thai rescue center gives injured leopard cat cubs a second chance.
A government wildlife rescue center in Khon Kaen, Thailand, is treating injured and orphaned leopard cat cubs and preparing them for release, and officials say mortality at the facility has fallen.
A rescue center run by Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation in Khon Kaen, in the northeast of the country, is treating and rehabilitating lost and injured leopard cat cubs for return to the wild. The work was described by contributor Ana Norman Bermudez in a report for Mongabay.
Admissions have risen sharply. Before 2023, the center took in about 10 leopard cats a year on average. The number is now as high as 65. Between January and August this year, the facility admitted more than 60 kittens, and more than half of them were recovered from charred fields with burn injuries. The report links the increase to habitat fragmentation, agricultural burning in sugarcane fields, and greater public use of a government wildlife hotline.
Staff first stabilize new arrivals by treating burns, infections and nutritional deficiencies. The cats are then moved into specialized rehabilitation enclosures of 24 square meters (258 square feet). Center officials said mortality dropped to around 33% in 2026, down from 60% in previous years. Warisara Thomas, a researcher and veterinarian at the center, said many of the cubs that died had been brought in by people who tried to care for them at home. She added that keeping wild cats at home is illegal. The report also says being in homes deprives the cubs of specialized care and exposes them to domestic animals that can transmit diseases.
Before behavioral rehabilitation begins, veterinarians run health checks, testing for feline immunodeficiency virus, parvovirus and canine distemper virus. Each cat also receives a microchip for identification. “We are being very careful as we really want to avoid introducing new diseases into the wild population,” Warisara said.
During a rehabilitation period of about two months, the young cats practice climbing and hunt live prey such as mice and chicks, building muscle and survival instincts while learning to distrust humans. Jim Sanderson, founder of the Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation and a member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, described this gradual approach as a soft release. He said it is vital for rehabilitated small cats and that their chances of survival are slim without it.
Cleared cats are released into nearby Phu Pha Man National Park, but local protected forests are close to capacity. “This area can hold just a few more releases,” said Nuntita Ruksachat, the center's head veterinarian, who added that staff are studying other areas for suitability.
At a Glance
- The center admitted more than 60 leopard cat kittens between January and August 2026, over half with burn injuries from burned fields.
- Annual admissions rose from about 10 cats before 2023 to as many as 65 now.
- Center officials said mortality fell to around 33% in 2026, from 60% in previous years.
- Rehabilitation lasts about two months, and cleared cats are released into Phu Pha Man National Park.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.