iOS 5 Programming Cookbook

Colophon

The animal on the cover of iOS 5 Programming Cookbook is a marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata), an elusive animal that lives in the dense forests of South and Southeast Asia. What little is known about these cats has mostly been gleaned from observing individuals in captivity, as sightings in the wild are rare. Indeed, the cats are usually only caught on film by motion-sensor camera traps. The total population is estimated to be less than 10,000 adults, and the species is endangered by deforestation.

The marbled cat is similar in size and weight to a domestic cat, averaging 5-11 pounds and 18-24 inches long. However, it shares many characteristics with the larger clouded leopards that live in the same region, like oversize paws, long canine teeth, and a mottled yellow-gray coat with dark spots and bars. However, the markings on the leopard’s fur are much more defined; the marbled cat is actually named for the blurred markings of its coat, which resemble the patterns of a marble.

In the natural posture of the marbled cat, the back is slightly arched. It also has long hind legs and a long bushy tail (nearly the length of its body), used as a counterweight for climbing trees. This has led biologists to believe the cats are primarily arboreal. It is likely that forest canopies provide the cats with prey like birds, squirrels, rats, and reptiles. In May 2000, a wild marbled cat was radio-tagged for the first time, and was found to be primarily active at dusk and night, living at ...