Forest Cat Returns to Belarus After a Century — Sighted in Pripyatsky National Park

After a hundred years, a forest cat has reappeared in Belarus — it was spotted in the Pripyatsky National Park.

Whether this is indeed the long-missing species or merely a domestic cat with a similar coloration was clarified by Mikhail Nikiforov, head of the Molecular Zoology Laboratory at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus’ Scientific Research Center for Biological Resources, as reported by BELTA.

The Pripyatsky National Park released footage from a trail camera capturing a European forest cat. This is a joyful event, considering that this species had not been observed within our borders for an entire century. The cat exhibits characteristic features typical of the species, yet the possibility of hybridization — interbreeding with a domestic cat — cannot be ruled out. Additionally, the coloration of purebred domestic cats can sometimes resemble that of wild ones. To confirm the species, scientists will collect genetic material for analysis and verification.

"Based on its behavior and location (a remote, abandoned area), we can assert that this is a forest cat. While domestic cats can sometimes find their way into such environments, all its features point toward it being a wild animal," affirmed Mikhail Nikiforov.

The genetic testing will be conducted at the Molecular Zoology Laboratory of the Scientific Research Center for Biological Resources. The protocols and methods are already established, the researcher noted. Forest cats tend to patrol their territories periodically, so scientists anticipate the possibility of another sighting in the same locale.

"They will set up scratching posts treated with a special substance, which the cat will rub against. The fur left on these posts will then be collected for genetic analysis," he explained. He added that, given the regular patrols of cats in their territory, conclusive information about this particular animal could soon be available.

Overall, Mikhail Nikiforov expressed optimism about the increasing biodiversity in Belarus.

"The return of our native species is a positive sign. It indicates that the ecology, environmental conditions, and the territory of the Pripyatsky National Park are in a healthy state. This is encouraging and something to be proud of. We hope this trend will continue," he remarked.

There is a possibility that, as the forest cat spreads across the country, it will interbreed with domestic cats. Such hybrids are already known in Western and Central Europe, and the zoological community views their emergence as a positive development — the birth of a new subspecies, concluded Nikiforov.