Garis Hati Cat
The Garis Hati Cat (panthera onca insularis), also called Striped Jaguar is an extant subspecies of jaguar only found on the island of Garis Hati Gelap in Sokoku. Despite it's common name cat it is a subspecies of the Altaian jaguar. Fossil records show that the animal might have been present on other islands in eastern Sokoku like Shuuen and Kotonoh as well. It is even theorised that the subspecies must have evolved on the Altaian mainland, since the unusual striping pattern on its fur might have been an adaptation to the grasslands and steppes of the mainland. In that scenario the Garis Hati Cat must have migrated through a land bridge somewhere around 200,000-300,000 years ago, adapted its lifestyle to the forest habitat there and gradually got extinct in its other habitats, including the mainland. Since fossilised remains of different jaguar subspecies are difficult to compare with type specimens it is however different to trace an exact lineage.
Description
The striped jaguar is a compact and muscular animal. It is the largest cat native to Altaia and the Sokokan island range. It's the third largest in the world, exceeded in size only by the tiger and the lion. It stands 68 to 75 cm tall at the shoulders. Its size and weight vary considerably depending on sex and region. Felines living in forests are generally darker and considerably smaller than those living in open areas, possibly due to the smaller numbers of large, herbivorous prey in forest areas.It is sexually dimorphic, with females typically being 10–20% smaller than males. The length from the nose to the base of the tail varies from 1.12 to 1.85 m. The tail is 45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 in) long and the shortest of any big cat. Its muscular legs are shorter than the legs of other Panthera species with similar body weight.
The coat ranges from pale yellow to reddish-yellow, with a whitish underside and covered in black stripes and spots. Most cats are not completely striped, but have parts on their backs and front paws with spots or rosettes, just like regular jaguars. The stripes are generally considered elongated spots, while the largest spots become rosettes which may include one or several dots. The spots on the head and neck are generally solid. Beside the common striped fur pattern, the Garis Hati Cat also appears as melanistic jaguar with a completely black fur.
In culture
The Garis Hari Cat plays an important role in regional culture. The local population takes pride in its preservation, that is under treat of loss of habitat and overhunting. Even in pre-colonial times, the feline stood symbol for power and strength, which still is valid today. In the older indigenous religion the large cat was considered a sacred animal, and people dressed in jaguar skins during religious rituals. Sculptures with striped jaguar motifs were found in several locations on the northern coastline. They show stylised jaguars with half-human faces. In the later civilisation around the 68th and 69 centuries, the jaguar was believed to facilitate communication between the living and the dead. The locals saw these powerful felines as their companions in the spiritual world, and several of their regional rulers bore names that incorporated the local word for jaguar "kucing". Even today, Kucing remains a common surname here. The striped jaguar is also used as a symbol in contemporary culture. It is the national animal of Garis Hati Gelap as Sokokan member state, its unusual fur pattern is featured in its coat of arms.