Shocking Photos Reveal Rare Flat-Headed Cat Deemed ‘Possibly Extinct’ Has Returned After 29 Years
Thai environmentalists celebrate surprising discovery.
On December 25, Panthera, a global wild cat conservation organization, announced that the endangered flat-headed cat had returned to southern Thailand for the first time in 29 years. Flat-headed cats are among the rarest felines in the world, with only 2,500 individuals remaining in the wild worldwide.
Panthera shared this exciting news alongside Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, ahead of National Wildlife Protection Day.
The organizations backed up these revelations with photos of flat-headed cats roaming southern Thailand. The images were obtained from camera traps deployed in the Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Reserve in southern Thailand.
The cameras were installed in 2024; previously, the last time flat-headed cats were documented in the area was in 1995. For two years, camera traps at Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Reserve captured images of flat-headed cats on numerous occasions, including 16 detections in 2025.
DNP/Panthera Thailand
New images from Thailand’s DNP and Panthera prove the existence and rediscovery of one of the world’s most endangered and little-known wild cats, the flat-headed cat, in the Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Reserve in Thailand.
One of the most exciting detections from the cameras was that of a flathead cat with her young. This sighting confirms to conservationists that this elusive species is breeding successfully in southern Thailand.
According to Panthera’s statement on the sightings, experts are grateful to have new evidence of the animals’ existence, as information on the species is difficult to obtain because the cats are small, nocturnal and live in hard-to-reach areas.
DNP/Panthera Thailand
A rare remote camera capture of a flat-headed cat mother and her cub in Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Reserve, Thailand
Before the recent discovery of flat-headed cats in Thailand, the species was classified as “possibly extinct” in the country, according to Panthera. The organization expects “new IUCN Red and Green List assessments on the status of the species led by Panthera” to be published in 2026. These assessments will include Panthera Thailand’s documentation of the flat-headed cat in southern Thailand.
Thai DNP Director General Atthapol Charoenchansa shared in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “The rediscovery of the flat-headed cat in southern Thailand is an important victory for conservation in Thailand and the broader Southeast Asia region, where the species still occurs. The discovery of the existence of a species once thought lost in the region highlights the dedication and effectiveness of DNP officials in protecting border forests and preserving populations of rare wildlife despite difficult political and social circumstances that make conservation work difficult.”
DNP/Panthera Thailand
New images from Thailand’s DNP and Panthera prove the existence and rediscovery of one of the world’s most endangered and little-known wild cats, the flat-headed cat, in the Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Reserve in Thailand.
“After nearly three decades, this rediscovery shows what is possible when science and strong protection come together. It is the result of the DNP’s commitment to safeguarding Thailand’s wetlands and the livelihoods of community members. These habitats are among the most biodiverse and most threatened in the country. Yet they continue to surprise us with their resilience,” added Kritsana Kaewplang, country director of Panthera Thailand, in a statement.
Flat-headed cats get their name from their flattened foreheads and elongated skulls, according to Panthera. It is the smallest wild cat in Southeast Asia, often half as light as the average domestic cat. The species also has webbed toes, which help it function as an apex predator in wetland ecosystems.
The species’ population has declined due to human-induced habitat loss, hunting, pollution of waterways, and the spread of disease from domestic animals.
Never miss a story: Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date with the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Even species thought to be extinct can be rebuilt if we invest in protecting the habitats on which they depend. The persistence of flat-headed cats in Thailand suggests that these ecosystems still harbor remarkable biodiversity, but also highlights how urgently we need to conserve and restore them before they disappear completely,” noted Dr Wai Ming Wong, Scientific Director of Panthera Small Cat Conservation.
Read the original article on People
