The European wildcat (Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777) is an endangered and elusive carnivore that is slowly recovering in Central Europe after persecution and a decline in its distribution over the past two centuries, and specific conservation plans are needed in most of its range. Knowledge of the continent-wide distribution and status of this species is still poor. Using an online questionnaire, we evaluated the nationwide distribution of wildcats across three time periods (2004, 2014, and 2022) in Hungary. The species’ reported occurrence was analyzed according to binominal logistic regression using the percent cover of land cover categories as explanatory variables. We found that the spatial cover of broad-leaved forest was positively associated with the occurrence of wildcats, and the analysis revealed a positive trend in the larger 2004–2022 time frame. We also recorded that although wildcats have disappeared from areas of the central, southern, and western parts of Hungary, regions in the eastern, northern, and south-western areas appear to retain stable populations.

Public engagement and awareness programs are important components of many conservation programs today as such engagements are often critical for successful conservation. In this study, we examined if delivery of educational material increased awareness of the Pallas’s cat and its environment in a southern Mongolia herder community. We found that knowledge was greater and attitudes toward the Pallas’s cat and wildlife in general were more positive one year after the delivery of the educational material. This study thus suggests that educational material can be effective at increasing awareness of small and elusive species such as the Pallas’s cat.

Information about distribution is essential for the conservation and management of rare and threatened species, or those that have experienced significant declines in their ranges. For rare and declining species, such as the Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul Pallas, 1776), mapping their distribution is therefore crucial. The Pallas’s cat is a rare and elusive species native to the steppes of central and western Asia, with Mongolia harboring the largest population. However, much of the biology of the Pallas’s cat remains poorly understood, creating a significant need for fundamental information, such as its distribution and conservation needs. Between June and July 2023, we conducted an interview-based survey to assess the distribution of Pallas’s cats in Hustai National Park, in Central Mongolia. We divided the study area into 67 sampling units, each measuring 8 × 8 km square, and conducted 107 independent interviews with local people. The data were analyzed using a mixed-effects logistic regression model to evaluate the environmental and topographic factors influencing the occurrence of Pallas’s cats. Our results showed that the distribution of the Pallas’s cat was significantly and positively associated with steppe habitat and the positive effects of terrain ruggedness may also be suggested. These findings underscore the need for monitoring and gathering information on the ecology of this rare species to inform conservation and management strategies in the region.