Uncovering Rare Wild Cats on Mount Everest
Cat News just published a paper that talks about the first ever sighting of Pallas’s cats on Mount Everest. This amazing finding came from a really big scientific research expedition to the mountain back in 2019 called the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition. This was the most detailed exploration of Mount Everest ever!
From April 7th to May 2nd of 2019, Dr. Tracie Seimon from the Zoological Health Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo was a part of a team that went on the Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition. She collected samples in two areas near Mount Everest located 16,765 and 17,027 feet above sea level. These locations were 3.7 miles apart from each other.
Dr. Seimon was astounded to find evidence of a rare type of cat while trekking in Nepal. The journey took almost four weeks, and it turned out to be worth it because not only did the team make a discovery, but it also gave scientists in general more knowledge about this unique high-altitude area. This sighting proves that Pallas’ cats can be found in eastern Nepal, proving further how rich and biodiverse the environment is!
Scientists tested some poop they found and learned that two Pallas’s cats, which is a kind of wild cat, live on Mount Everest. They also discovered that these cats eat pika and mountain weasels that were in the poop too! This means a new type of animal was added to Sagarmatha National Park, which is an important place because it is protected by the world.
Dr. Anton Seimon, an Explorer from National Geographic and co-author of the paper highlighted that this new discovery is really special not only in terms of science but also in conservation as this kind of wild animal – Pallas’s cat – is given proper legal protection under CITES (International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). He further said that finding and studying this species would help raise awareness about preservation of World Heritage Site.
The amount of tourists going to Sagarmatha National Park and Mount Everest increased dramatically, from just a few thousand people in the 1970’s to over fifty thousand by 2019. No one knew that there was a Pallas’s cat living in the park until 2019. Scientists used something called “conservation genetics” and “environmental sampling” to discover and study this secret animal which is hard to find.
Researchers could use camera traps and collecting samples from the poop of Pallas’s cats in Sagarmatha National Park to better understand how many of them live there, what area they live in, how dense their population is and what food they eat.
Nicole Alexiev, the Vice President of Science and Innovation Programs at National Geographic Society, said that the 2019 Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition is really helpful in learning more about our Earth’s most remarkable environment. She also added that these results show why this partnership between them and Rolex to look into our planet’s essential resources is so important.
In December 2022, a group of scientists published an article titled “First report of Pallas’s Cat in Sagarmatha National Park – Mount Everest Region, Nepal” in the Cat News magazine. The article is all about the discovery of this rare wildcat living in the Mount Everest region and how it may be possible to help conserve their population.
From April to May 2019, a big group of scientists from 8 different countries, including 17 people from Nepal, went on an expedition to Mt. Everest in Nepal. They were there to study how the environment is changing and how it affects us. The team studied 5 areas: animals, glaciers, the weather, rocks and mountains that they were mapping out during their trip! To get more information on the Perpetual Planet Expedition visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/topic/perpetual-planet