| The jungle cat, Felis chaus, is found in Egypt, the Middle East, and south Asia. Its common name is not particularly accurate; it generally frequents tall grass, deciduous forests, and cultivated land rather than jungle. It is a terrestrial hunter of anything it can catch, but like the caracal can leap high and capture birds, and it will also eat carrion. These cats range from 10 to 35 pounds, usually bigger the farther north they are, reaching their largest in some of the former Soviet states. They are usually plain light brown but some all-black ones occur, especially in India and Pakistan. They have long legs, a narrow face, and pointed ears with tufts of hair at their ends, and have been said to look "sphinxlike." They are hunted by humans as poultry pests. |
