Cats, wild: India
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Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
2022: Seen in the Aravalis
Ipsita Pati, February 15, 2022: The Times of India
GURUGRAM: The rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), listed as ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has been spotted in the Aravalis in Rewari, its first sighting in south Haryana. According to experts, it is the smallest cat species and is found only in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It was earlier spotted in December 2014 and April 2015 in Yamunanagar’s Kalesar National Park.
The elusive wild cat was sighted last week by a camera trap set up by an assistant wildlife researcher at Ashoka University. Rakesh Ahalawat had installed several such cameras around Manethi village in Jhajjar within a radius of 5km last week to evaluate the presence of wildlife in the Aravalis.
“The rusty-spotted cat has been spotted here for the first time. I saw it twice last week. It appears for a very short time on the camera trap,” Ahlawat said. His cameras captured images of other wild animals as well, including the striped hyena, nilgai, jackal, porcupine, Indian civet, palm civet, ruddy mongoose, grey mongoose, jungle cat, boar and hare, Ahlawat added.
This is the first sighting of the cat in south Haryana, as it has a small population here, according to the forest department. “Rusty-spotted cats are present in the area but aren’t seen. We are planning to install camera traps as we have observed that the area around eight villages near the Aravalis has a continuous stretch of forest cover,” said Sunder Sambharya, divisional forest officer, Rewari.
The cat was sighted in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve during the lockdown and in Sariska Tiger Reserve around three years ago. Anil Gandas, a wildlife expert, said, “I have been working for the last 20 years in Haryana rescuing animals in distress and recording their sightings, but haven’t seen a rusty-spotted cat in my life. This species has a very small population, and it is very rare to spot it.” Forest officials said camera traps will be installed across an area of around 1,000 hectares in Rewari’s Khol block, which comprises 10 villages near the Aravali hills — Palra, Ahhrod, Bassduda, Khol, Manethi, Bhalki, Majra, Nandha, Balwari and Khaleta.
“These sightings indicate that the Aravalis has an abundance of wildlife and needs to be protected,” said Vaishali Rana Chandra, a wildlife activist.
The state wildlife department also plans to install over 100 camera traps across the Aravalis this year to carry out a wildlife census. The survey, which was planned last year but postponed due to Covid, will be conducted jointly by the department and Wildlife Institute of India.
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. Additional information may please be sent as messages to the Facebook community, Indpaedia.com. All information used will be gratefully acknowledged in your name.
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
==2022: Seen in the Aravalis== Ipsita Pati, February 15, 2022: The Times of India
GURUGRAM: The rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus), listed as ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has been spotted in the Aravalis in Rewari, its first sighting in south Haryana. According to experts, it is the smallest cat species and is found only in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It was earlier spotted in December 2014 and April 2015 in Yamunanagar’s Kalesar National Park.
The elusive wild cat was sighted last week by a camera trap set up by an assistant wildlife researcher at Ashoka University. Rakesh Ahalawat had installed several such cameras around Manethi village in Jhajjar within a radius of 5km last week to evaluate the presence of wildlife in the Aravalis.
“The rusty-spotted cat has been spotted here for the first time. I saw it twice last week. It appears for a very short time on the camera trap,” Ahlawat said. His cameras captured images of other wild animals as well, including the striped hyena, nilgai, jackal, porcupine, Indian civet, palm civet, ruddy mongoose, grey mongoose, jungle cat, boar and hare, Ahlawat added.
This is the first sighting of the cat in south Haryana, as it has a small population here, according to the forest department. “Rusty-spotted cats are present in the area but aren’t seen. We are planning to install camera traps as we have observed that the area around eight villages near the Aravalis has a continuous stretch of forest cover,” said Sunder Sambharya, divisional forest officer, Rewari.
The cat was sighted in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve during the lockdown and in Sariska Tiger Reserve around three years ago. Anil Gandas, a wildlife expert, said, “I have been working for the last 20 years in Haryana rescuing animals in distress and recording their sightings, but haven’t seen a rusty-spotted cat in my life. This species has a very small population, and it is very rare to spot it.” Forest officials said camera traps will be installed across an area of around 1,000 hectares in Rewari’s Khol block, which comprises 10 villages near the Aravali hills — Palra, Ahhrod, Bassduda, Khol, Manethi, Bhalki, Majra, Nandha, Balwari and Khaleta.
“These sightings indicate that the Aravalis has an abundance of wildlife and needs to be protected,” said Vaishali Rana Chandra, a wildlife activist.
The state wildlife department also plans to install over 100 camera traps across the Aravalis this year to carry out a wildlife census. The survey, which was planned last year but postponed due to Covid, will be conducted jointly by the department and Wildlife Institute of India.
