‘Golden’ creature of Thai mythology appears on trail camera at national park
In a forest in southern Thailand, a “golden” predator emerged from the trees and walked across a sunlit trail. Unbeknownst to it, a nearby trail camera captured its brief appearance.
It turned out to be a rare creature rooted in local folklore.
Wildlife patrols trekked into Khao Luang National Park to check trail cameras and review the latest footage as part of routine monitoring efforts, park officials said in a July 7 Facebook post.
One camera’s 10-second clip caught their attention.
The video, filmed June 20, showed an Asian golden cat calmly passing near the camera. The cat pauses at the edge of the woods before vanishing into the forest, officials said.
The Asian golden cat, scientifically known as Catopuma temminckii, is a “medium-sized wild cat” found across Southeast Asia with distinctive tan coloring, according to Thai National Parks. “Rather elusive,” these felines are “territorial and solitary” predators “capable of bringing down prey much larger than themselves.”
Asian golden cats are figures of mythology in “some regions of Thailand” and referred to as “Seua fai,” or “fire tiger,” officials said. “According to a regional legend, the burning of an Asian golden cat’s fur drives tigers away.”
Park officials described the latest Asian golden cat sighting as rare.
Due to hunting and habitat loss, Asian golden cats are considered vulnerable and at risk of extinction, officials said.
Khao Luang National Park is in southern Thailand and a roughly 480-mile drive south from Bangkok.
Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from Khao Luang National Park.
This story was originally published July 25, 2025 at 8:50 AM with the headline "‘Golden’ creature of Thai mythology appears on trail camera at national park."
