A rare flat-headed cat thought to be ‘probably extinct’ has returned after 29 years, shocking photos reveal

Conservationists in Thailand are celebrating a surprising discovery.

On December 25, Panthera, a global wild cat conservation organization, announced that the endangered flat-headed cat had returned to southern Thailand for the first time in 29 years. Flat-headed cats are some of the world’s rarest cats, with only 2,500 left in the wild worldwide.

Panthera shared the exciting news with Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation ahead of the country’s Wildlife Conservation Day.

Organizations supported the revelations with photos of flat-headed cats in southern Thailand. The images were taken from camera traps deployed at the Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Thailand.

The cameras were installed in 2024; Prior to that, flat-head cats were last documented in the area in 1995. For more than two years, camera traps at the Princess Sirindhorn Wildlife Sanctuary captured footage of flat-headed cats on several occasions, including 16 detections in 2025.

One of the camera’s most exciting finds was a female flat-headed cat with her cub. The spotting confirms to conservationists that the elusive species is successfully breeding in southern Thailand.

According to a statement from Panthera, experts are grateful for the fresh evidence of the animals, as the cats are small, nocturnal and live in inaccessible places, making it difficult to get information about the species.

Before the recent discovery of the flat-headed cat in Thailand, the species was classified as “probably extinct” in the country, according to Panthera. The organization expects to publish “new Panthera-led IUCN Red and Green List assessments of species status” in 2026. These assessments will include documentation of Panthera Thailand, a flat-headed cat from southern Thailand.

Thailand’s DNP Director General, Atthapol Charoenchansa, shared in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “The rediscovery of the flat-headed cat in southern Thailand is an important victory for conservation in Thailand and the wider Southeast Asia region, where the species still occurs. Exposing the existence of a once-extinct species in this region highlights the dedication and effectiveness of DNP officials in protecting the border forests and protecting social populations. Make conservation work harder.”

“Nearly three decades later, this rediscovery shows what is possible when science and strong conservation come together. It is the result of DNP’s dedication to protecting Thailand’s wetlands and the livelihoods of community members. These habitats are among the most biodiverse and threatened in the country. Yet, they continue to amaze us,” said Thailand’s Director of Panthera Country. Kaewplang, added in a statement.

According to Panthera, flat-headed cats are named for their flattened foreheads and elongated skulls. They are the smallest wild cat in Southeast Asia, often half as light as the average house cat. This species also has webbed feet, which helps it function as an apex predator in wetland ecosystems.

Populations of the species have declined due to human-induced habitat loss, hunting, pollution of waterways, and the spread of disease from domestic animals.

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“Even lost species can be rebuilt if we invest in protecting the habitats that depend on them. The persistence of flat-headed cats in Thailand shows that these ecosystems still hold remarkable biodiversity, but also underscores how urgently we need to protect and restore them before they disappear completely,” said Dr.

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