By Gabriela Baron
A rare Visayan leopard cat was spotted in Ajuy, Iloilo in April.
Locally called as “maral,” the Visayan leopard cat is endemic to the islands of Panay and Negros and inhabits remnant forest fragments.
According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources City Environment & Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO), the Visayan leopard cat was turned over by Juvan Vencer Beloria, a resident of Brgy. Culasi in Ajuy, Iloilo.
Beloria said he rescued the Visayan leopard cat from local folks who initially planned to kill the animal for food, but he offered to buy it out from them for P1,000.
“The DENR 6 commends Beloria’s act of love for the wild,” DENR CENRO said.
The Visayan leopard cats are endangered as listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature. – ag
