ENIDDENL
Wildlife of Borneo

Flat-headed cat

Prionailurus planiceps

This Sunda-region cat is closely tied to lowland wetlands: riverine forest, streams and peat-swamp forest.

Endangered
Species details & taxonomy
Species
Prionailurus planiceps
Genus
Prionailurus
Family
Felidae
Order
Carnivora
Class
Mammalia
Flat-headed cat — Prionailurus planiceps
Flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps).Jim Sanderson · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original

Range and habitat

This Sunda-region cat is closely tied to lowland wetlands: riverine forest, streams and peat-swamp forest. Borneo camera records include the Sebangau catchment; Kinabatangan riverbanks also have documented records. It has a narrow head, small ears, partly webbed feet and a short tail.

Sources & references · 3American Society of Mammalogists, MDD v2.5 · Prionailurus planiceps: taxonomyIUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat: status, habitat and ecologyIUCN Red List / Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat Red List profile

Food and daily life

Fish and other aquatic prey are important in the available dietary evidence; fish and shrimp remains have been found in stomachs. Sebangau camera monitoring recorded activity mostly after midnight, with some daytime records. Wild social and reproductive behaviour remains poorly known.

Sources & references · 3American Society of Mammalogists, MDD v2.5 · Prionailurus planiceps: taxonomyIUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat: status, habitat and ecologyIUCN Red List / Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat Red List profile

Protection and observation

The species is Endangered. Wetland conversion, degradation and polluted water threaten habitat and prey. A record beside a plantation does not establish that plantations replace forest habitat. Most people will encounter this elusive species through camera-monitoring results rather than a predictable guided sighting.

Sources & references · 3American Society of Mammalogists, MDD v2.5 · Prionailurus planiceps: taxonomyIUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat: status, habitat and ecologyIUCN Red List / Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat Red List profile

Built for catching slippery prey

A flattened, elongated skull and small, low-set ears give this cat its distinctive outline. Its reddish-brown coat contrasts with a pale chin and muzzle. The feet are narrow, with partial webbing; the claws retract less completely than in many other cats. Pointed teeth help hold slippery aquatic prey.

Sources & references · 1IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat: status, habitat and ecology

Wetlands that remain connected

Borneo records concentrate in lowland settings, making river systems and surrounding forest particularly important. A wetland can lose its value even while some trees remain: drainage changes water levels, and pollution affects aquatic prey. Protecting this cat requires functioning freshwater habitat together with cover along the water, rather than forest area alone.

Sources & references · 2Raffles Bulletin of Zoology · Predicted distribution of the flat-headed cat on BorneoIUCN Red List / Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat Red List profile

Where to look

A recorded occurrence does not guarantee a sighting or visitor access. Read the area and experience guides for habitat, responsible observation, guiding and current access before choosing a trip. Keep wildlife at a distance and follow local restrictions.

Places with documented occurrence

Related discoveries

Nature areas

The Kinabatangan River at Kampung Sukau.
Nature areas

Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary protects parts of the forested floodplain along eastern Sabah’s best-known wildlife river. Here the visitor experience is shaped by water: boats follow forest edges, tributaries and river bends while guides look for movement in the canopy and along the banks. Proboscis monkeys are strongly associated with the landscape; orangutans, elephants and many birds also occur, without any sighting being guaranteed. This is not one enclosed park with a single entrance. Lodges and village bases around Sukau, Bilit and Abai serve different stretches of the river, usually with transfers arranged through Sandakan. Choose the base and programme together rather than booking a boat trip against a generic map pin. Two nights give useful space for both morning and evening outings. The sanctuary is also part of a lived-in landscape where river communities, agriculture and wildlife conservation meet.

CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cropped · Original
Blackwater and riparian forest along the Sebangau River in Sebangau National Park
Nature areas

Sebangau National Park

Sebangau is a national park of peat-swamp forest in Central Kalimantan, where waterlogged organic soils, trees and river channels form a connected ecosystem. Orangutans are part of its conservation importance, but this is also a place to understand peat, forest restoration and small-scale biodiversity. Palangka Raya is a practical base for the documented Kereng Bangkirai–Camp Koran visitor route. That route combines a boat journey with a forest walk; it is one accessible part of a much larger park, not a circuit through all research areas. Arrange the trip with the responsible local tourism group and confirm conditions before departure. A day in this landscape can be worthwhile without a primate sighting.

Mankdhay rahman · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped · Original

Destinations

Primary rainforest in Danum Valley.
Destinations

Borneo

Borneo rewards a journey built around a few contrasting places: a river city, a forest stay, a highland community or an island coast. Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei share the island, but each part has its own gateways, languages and travel arrangements. Start by choosing the landscapes and experiences that matter most to you; the country and regional guides below turn that choice into a workable route. Sabah combines mountain, forest and sea journeys, Sarawak connects river towns with caves and living heritage, Kalimantan opens five very different provinces, and Brunei offers a compact capital-and-rainforest combination. You can enjoy a substantial first trip within just one of these regions. Seeing the whole island is a much larger undertaking.

Gido (gidovd) · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped · Original

Sources & references

Raffles Bulletin of Zoology · Predicted distribution of the flat-headed cat on BorneoAccessed: 2026-10-04

IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat: status, habitat and ecologyAccessed: 2026-10-04

IUCN Red List / Cat Specialist Group · Flat-headed cat Red List profileAccessed: 2026-10-04

American Society of Mammalogists, MDD v2.5 · Prionailurus planiceps: taxonomyAccessed: 2026-10-04

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