Chaus

		Chaus
		He is a wild animal


Origin			Mainly in Asia
Translation			Francis Vandersteen

The possession of this animal is not authorized Royal Decree establishing the list of mammals not kept for production purposes that may be kept (M.B. 24.08.2009)

The Chaus, also known as the swamp cat or jungle cat, is a cat species that lives in Egypt, the Caucasus, Central Asia, India and Southeast Asia (Indochina and Sri Lanka).

It measures between 60 and 75 cm in length (with the tail accounting for 40% of this length, which is relatively short), and can reach 25 cm in height at the withers. Males are heavier than females (6.1 ± 1.5 kg vs. 4.2 ± 1.1 kg), with a known maximum of 13 kg. Its short-haired fur is often gray-brown, its chest bears a flame of orange hairs, while legs and tail are clearly striped with black, as is sometimes the throat, with very light stripes in the north of its range, and darker in the south. Melanistic individuals have also been reported. It has tufts of black hair at the tips of its ears.

This species can live in family groups, with males, females and young. Males are even more protective of their young than females. Sexual dimorphism may be linked to this behavior.

It is an excellent swimmer, capable of getting into the water to catch fish or to escape from dogs or man. It also hunts rodents, including coypu (6 to 7 kg), hares, birds, reptiles, amphibians and even the young of other mammals (wild pigs).

Despite its name, it is not associated solely with jungles, but with water and dense vegetation cover, giving it a wide range. In desert environments, it can be found along riverbeds or in oases. In Southeast Asia, on the other hand, it is traditionally found in deciduous forests, although it has been reported in evergreen forests. It can be found up to 2,400 m in the Himalayas and 1,000 m in the Caucasus. The chaus has adapted well to humans, having been observed in many agricultural and forestry plantations (sugar cane crops in Asia, fish ponds) and old buildings.

Swamp cats are prey for leopards and jackals.