PHOTO: KAJOL HAZRA

A sleek, spotted Asian leopard cat -- one of Bangladesh’s most elusive felines -- rests on the forest floor in Moulvibazar. Barely larger than a house cat, this nocturnal hunter prowls forests, grasslands, wetlands, and even tea estate edges, feeding on rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, and insects. Its sharp hunting skills make it a natural pest controller. Native to a vast range stretching from the Russian Far East through China, the Himalayas, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, the leopard cat shelters in dense vegetation, tree hollows, rocky crevices, and forest undergrowth. Solitary and secretive, it is also an excellent climber and swimmer, with partially webbed toes that help it navigate wet habitats. Interestingly, the popular Bengal cat breed traces its ancestry to this wild species. Although listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, leopard cats face growing threats from habitat loss, hunting, illegal wildlife trade, and retaliatory killings.