Rare leopard cat caught in Yunnan

The owner of a chicken farm has captured a rare wild leopard cat which he claims has been killing off some of his flock, reports chinanews.com.

A leopard cat is captured in a cage in south China's Yunnan province. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

The farmer says he and his family managed to capture the animal on February 26 after discovering that around a dozen chickens on his farm were either missing or dead.

Leopard cats are a nationally-protected species in China.

A leopard cat is slightly larger than a domestic cat. It usually preys on rodents, birds, fish, reptiles, and small mammals. However, the animals are known to prey on livestock as well.

The captured leopard cat suffered only minor injuries in its capture. It will be released back into the wild by local authorities after it recovers.