Marbled Cat

Why in News?

The elusive marbled cats have been spotted recently at Dehing Patkai National Park, Assam.

• It is a small wild cat native to the eastern Himalayas and Southeast Asia.
• Scientific name – Pardofelis marmorata.
• Habitat – Cleared areas or agricultural plantations, at lower elevations and deciduous-evergreen tropical forests.
• Distribution – Nepal, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo.
  • In India – Northern India, Sikkim & Assam.

Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as National Park on 15^th June, 2021 and is the only sanctuary in India which is home to 7 different species of wild cats.

• Morphology – Short, broad face, rounded ears, long bushy tail, coat is thick & soft and its color can vary from dark gray-brown to yellowish gray to red-brown.
• It marked with large, irregular dark-edged blotches, legs and underparts are patterned with black spots.

• Comparison – To small clouded leopards both bear the distinctive marbling pattern on their coats, with the combination of large, irregular shaped dark blotches, lined with black.
• Behaviour – It is a nocturnal animal, mainly active at night.
• It is known as a very good climbers and relatively solitary in nature.
• Diet – Birds, squirrels, rats, and possibly lizards and frogs.
• Threats
  • Deforestation.
  • Habitat loss and fragmentation.
  • Hunted for its fur, eating, commercial purposes, or medicine.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN status – Near Threatened (NT).
  • CITES – Appendix I.
  • WPA, 1972 – Schedule I.

References

1. The Times of India| Marbled Cat
2. FCF| Marbled Cat