The flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) is an elusive, semiaquatic wild cat native to Southeast Asia, regarded as one of the most endangered felids. Its name derives from its uniquely flattened forehead and elongated skull, which are adaptations linked to its wetland-oriented lifestyle.
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Conservation in Action
Here is a recent report about Flat-headed Cat conservation included in the monthly SWCCF newsletter:
Sangga Health: Bridging Dayak Culture and Public Health to Conserve the Flat-Headed Cat
by Chris Wiggs, Indonesia, Sangga Bumi Lestari
January 2026
The Bentarum landscape of Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan (Borneo, Indonesia) encompasses lush forests, meandering rivers, and rich biodiversity. In the north lies the hilly and mountainous terrain of Betung Kerihun National Park. To the south lies Danau Sentarum National Park, renowned for its unique seasonal lake ecosystem. The area between the two parks has long been recognized as a corridor for connecting Danau Sentarum to Betung Kerihun. Known as Bentarum, the area covers 326,862 hectares and is home to over 14,000 people, predominantly indigenous Dayak Iban and Dayak Tamanbaloh people.
Little is known about small cats in Bentarum. However, trail camera placed throughout the landscape have detected four of Kalimantan's five species (only the Bay cat (Catopuma badia) has not been recorded). Most ubiquitous so far is the IUCN Red List Endangered Flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps), which has been documented in four separate areas throughout the landscape, in peat swamp forests and disturbed dryland areas. These detections highlight Bentarum as potentially critical habitat for Flat-headed cats.
Unfortunately, the Flat-headed cat is threatened by hunting. Most people in Bentarum are indigenous and hunting is an important part of their culture. Hunting is predominantly for food and is indiscriminate. Flat-headed cats are particularly exposed by their preference for ponds and slow-moving rivers, which hunters also use for fishing and frog collecting.
Hunting dynamics have become more complex in recent years, following the arrival of African Swine Fever in 2020, which decimated wild and domestic pig populations. Frequent waves of Newcastle disease kill domestic chickens. While it's not a linear increase, there is now a greater reliance on wild meat in response to these zoonotic diseases.
To mitigate this hunting threat, Sangga Bumi and Bentarum's residents have collaboratively developed the Sangga Health initiative. Since April 2025, we have been implementing Sangga Health throughout Bentarum. The program aims to increase domestic livestock by increasing the capacity of three key stakeholders: 1) villagers to implement Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) principles and reduce the unnecessary reliance on expensive commercial livestock feed; 2) local maternal health services to provide alternative protein sources; and 3) the regional Department of Health to advocate for allocation of vaccines and testing kits from the central government.
The program is complemented by Sangga Stories, through which we are collecting place-based cultural stories about wild animals and hunting behavior. This is laying the foundation for village-level hunting regulations to be developed. A rudimentary quota system already exists in some villages, but these are poorly understood, being an oral tradition passed down by elders.
To support small cat conservation throughout West Kalimantan, we have also established the West Kalimantan Small Cat Working Group. Endorsed by the provincial government, their Natural Resource Conservation Department facilitated the first meeting in August 2025. The working group's priority will be to map small cat distribution in the province and develop standardized outreach materials. Over time, an action plan will be developed to enhance small cat conservation in the province.
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