Pat a kitten!

• Stroke kitten!

English town Banham Zoo Banham Zoo two weeks ago officially revealed to the public wild cat young Pallas's cat, born at the end of April 2012.

In total, four grown-up kittens, which until recently were safely sheltered by his mother in the den, and zoo employees do not even know their exact number.

In addition, fear of bring any infection to susceptible to such diseases in animals, zoo staff had not even approached the den female manul. Only two weeks ago, when the grown young began to run out of the den into the open cage, it was found that four of them.

This is the first kittens of Pallas 'cat in the zoo since 2009, when a couple of Pallas' cats were brought to Britain from Jihlava Zoo Czech zoo breeding program for rare species of cat.

Before the birth of these four kittens in zoos in Europe contained only 125 Pallas' cats. This is a great success of the breeding program, since by 1988 contained only 35 Pallas' cats in 13 zoos in the world. Each kitten -manul comes in a special account, and is very valuable.

Very soon, these kittens veterinarians inspect and make them all the necessary vaccinations.

Pallas' cat (Felis manul; synonym - Otocolobus manul) - wild predator felines. its body length of 52-65 cm, 23-31 cm of the tail; it weighs 2-5 kg. From the usual cats, he has a more dense, massive body on short thick legs, very thick hair (per square centimeter has to 9000 hairs.

Pallas' cat inhabits Central and Central Asia, South Caucasus and from Iran to Western Transbaikalia, Mongolia and northwest China. In Russia, Pallas' cat is found in the Chita region in the wilderness, in Buryatia in the forest-steppe and steppe areas, as well as in the Republic of Tyva and Altai. Manuli live in areas with a continental climate, where the winters are cold and not very snowy. View is rare and is on the verge of extinction. Pallas listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, the IUCN Red List with the status of "Near Threatened" in Appendix II CITES Convention (1995). Pallas cat on the hunt everywhere forbidden.

Pallas' cat eats mainly rodents, sometimes catching gophers, surchat or birds. In summer eats insects in large numbers. Their prey and adds the guard at the stones and holes.

Propagated manul once a year, in the spring. Pregnancy lasts for sixty days. In litter 2-6 kittens, about 12 cm long and weighing up to 300 g Kittens born spotted, blind and helpless. Maturity manul kittens reach about 10 months. Man'ula live 11-12 years.

Pallas lead single sedentary. Active predominantly in twilight and in the early morning; day sleeping in the shelter. Lair of the suit in the crevices of rocks, small caves, under rocks, in old burrows of marmots, foxes, badgers. Color Man'ula has excellent camouflage properties, which help him in hunting. By itself, Pallas' cat - the slow and clumsy of wild cats.