In News:

For the first time, the Rusty-Spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) has been spotted in the forests of Purulia district, West Bengal, captured on a camera trap set up by the NGO HEAL during pangolin poaching surveillance. This marks a significant range extension and has excited conservationists and forest officials.

Key Features

• World’s smallest and lightest wild cat: Weighs between 900 grams to 1.5 kg
• Length: Approx. 1.5 feet, with a 1-foot-long tail
• Appearance:
  • Fawn-grey coat with rusty red spots on back and flanks
  • Short, rounded head with two white facial streaks
  • Large eyes with greyish-brown to amber irises – an adaptation to nocturnal behavior
  • Short legs, black-soled feet, and an unmarked rusty tail
• Behavior:
  • Nocturnal and elusive
  • Uses scent marking to establish territory
  • Gestation period: 66–70 days

Habitat and Distribution

• Found in dry deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, including:
  • Northern & Central India, Western Ghats, Rajasthan, Kachchh, and Peninsular India
  • Also present in Sri Lanka and Nepal
• India hosts 80% of the global population

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Near Threatened, due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and human-wildlife conflict
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I species (highest protection)

Significance of Purulia Sighting

• Located on the eastern edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau
• Forests are interconnected with neighboring regions like Jharkhand and Odisha
• Notified as reserved forests, not protected forests
• Threats: Hunting by local communities, habitat degradation

Impact of Conservation Efforts

• Post-COVID, the forest ecosystem in Purulia has improved due to reduced human disturbance
• Past sightings of leopards, bears, jackals, and foxes indicate a thriving ecosystem
• HEAL and the Forest Department have launched livestock compensation programs to reduce retaliatory killings of carnivores