Manul

Mammal

Manul (Otocobolus manul)

Ambush predator

Especially in the early morning hours and in the twilight the manul goes hunting in the high-altitude steppes of the Himalaya. Their short legs show that they hunt their prey only for short distances. More often they hide near dens of small rodents and wait persistently for their prey. If the den is not very deep they reach into it and try to fish for its inhabitants. Small rodents and pikas are a large part of their prey.

   


Category: Mammal

Size: head to barrel 50-65 cm; tail 21-31 cm

Age: 12 years

Sexually mature: appox 12 month

gestation period: 66 days

food: pikas, small rodents, steppe chickens and other birds

habitat: low-coverage, rocky high steppes up to 4,800 m

Danger: potentially at risk

distribution area