Caucasian Wildcat
Obverse
a relief image of the National Coat of Arms of the Russian Federation, above it along the rim the inscription in a semicircle ‘РОССИЙСКАЯ ФЕДЕРАЦИЯ’ (RUSSIAN FEDERATION) framed with paired diamonds on both sides, under the coat of arms on the left the chemical symbol and fineness of the metal and on the right the fine metal content and the mint mark, at the bottom centre in three lines the inscription ‘БАНК РОССИИ’ (BANK OF RUSSIA), the coin denomination ‘2 РУБЛЯ’ (2 RUBLES), and the year of issue ‘2026 г.’ (2026).
Reverse
a relief coloured image of a Caucasian wildcat standing on rocks against the background of the image of foliage, laser treated for matte finishing, and the inscription ‘КАВКАЗСКАЯ ЛЕСНАЯ КОШКА’ (CAUCASIAN WILDCAT) around the lower circumference on the left.
Authors
Designers: E.V. Kramskaya (obverse), F.S. Andronov (reverse).
Sculptors: A.A. Dolgopolova (obverse), F.S. Andronov (reverse).
Mint: Saint Petersburg Mint (СПМД).
Edge: 195 corrugations.
Discover more
The Caucasian wildcat (Felis silvestris caucasica) is a rare and endangered subspecies of the wildcat. Within the Russian Federation, its habitat spans the entire montane forest zone of the North Caucasus, from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea. It roams the floodplain forests and river islands along the Kuban, Kuma, and Terek Rivers, venturing 20-30 km into the steppe zone along shelterbelts. The wildcat mainly inhabits broadleaf forests, and less frequently, beech and fir forests as well as stunted forests, showing a clear preference for floodplain forests. Its limiting factors are the population dynamics of mouse-like rodents and availability of other food resources, seasonal climate conditions, and the destruction of its natural habitat. The expansion of residential areas facilitates its hybridization with domestic cats. Logging and overhunting have badly damaged the wildcat’s ability to reproduce. Even though hunting has since declined, its population is recovering very slowly.
Source: https://www.mnr.gov.ru.