Manul Otocolobus manul (formerly Felis manul pallas)

The Manul, also known as Pallas's Cat, is native to open steppe, desert and rocky mountain slopes of Central Asia from the Caspian through to Mongolia and Russia.

It is closely related to the Leopard Cat of Asia and lives in crevices among the rocks.

The size of a thick-set domestic cat, it has the longest fur of any small cat, which can vary in colour from grey to yellow or red, with a white-tipped, frosted appearance in winter.

It is generally solitary and preys on pika, gerbils, ground squirrels and ground-nesting birds.

The ears are set wide and low on the head, the back of the lower hind leg is usually ginger and the tail has thin black stripes with a black tip.