삵
A great photo story in Hankyoreh showing a rare example of Korea’s native wildcat on the prowl up near the DMZ. Also an opportunity to learn a new Korean word: 삵 (sak), which seems to be a shortening of 살쾡이 (salk’waengi), which in turn is variation on the standard word for cat 고양이 (koyangi), although I’m not sure what the ’sal’ prefix means. Sadly, 삵 is a word that may not be needed much longer considering that this animal is under threat of going where its peninsular cousins the lynx, leopard and tiger have already gone: extinction.
Are some of them interbreeding with the so-called “domesticated cats”?
Comment by cat lover — January 21, 2007 @ 9:41 pm
I don’t know the answer to that question, but if the situation is anything like it is in Scotland then the answer is probably yes. According to this BBC article, interbreeding with domestic cats is bringing true Scottish wildcats close to extinction.
Comment by kotaji — January 21, 2007 @ 10:05 pm
Dude,
The first post in three weeks and you are cat blogging?
It’s not even Friday.
Geez.
Comment by Andy — January 22, 2007 @ 6:53 am
I must have been reading the Metropolitician too much…
Comment by kotaji — January 22, 2007 @ 11:00 am