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Report “Status of Small Cats in Tiger Landscape of India” released on Global Tiger Day (July 29) | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Report “Status of Small Cats in Tiger Landscape of India” released on Global Tiger Day (July 29)

Posted 30 Jul 2025

1 min read

Report compiled by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) provides comprehensive assessment of small cats’ occupancy status and dynamics.

Key Findings:

  • Jungle Cat is most widespread small cat species in India, followed by Rusty-Spotted Cat (World’s smallest wildcat).
  • 10 small cat species found in India include Pallas’s cat, Eurasian lynx, jungle cat, fishing cat, leopard cat, rusty-spotted cat, marbled cat, Asiatic golden cat, desert cat, and caracal. 

About Small Cats 

  • Small cats are diverse group of hyper carnivores within subfamily Felinae, found across nearly all terrestrial biomes.
  • Difference with Big Cats:
    • Big cats (Like tigers, lions etc.) possess a flexible hyoid bone enabling them to roar. In contrast, small cats have a rigid hyoid bone, which allows them to purr continuously.

Major Small Cats in India:

An infographic titled "Major Small Cats in India" presents a comparative table of four species: Asiatic golden cat, Caracal, Fishing cat, and Eurasian lynx. The table is divided into four columns: Species, Habitat, Characteristics, and Conservation Status.  Asiatic Golden Cat:  Habitat: Indo-Malayan ecorealm – Assam, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal.  Characteristics: Territorial, solitary (with occasional pairing).  Conservation: IUCN – Near Threatened; Wildlife Act – Schedule I.  Caracal:  Habitat: Arid/semi-arid regions; found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh.  Characteristics: Also called Siya Gosh (black-tufted ears); solitary, territorial, and nocturnal.  Conservation: IUCN – Least Concern; Wildlife Act – Schedule I.  Fishing Cat:  Habitat: Wetlands – Sundarbans, Himalayan foothills, parts of Northeast India.  Characteristics: Nocturnal, webbed hind feet for swimming.  Conservation: IUCN – Vulnerable; Wildlife Act – Schedule I.  Eurasian Lynx:  Habitat: Rocky mountainous plateaus of Central Asia; in India – some parts of Ladakh.  Characteristics: Solitary, territorial, and nocturnal.  Conservation: IUCN – Least Concern; Wildlife Act – Schedule I.
  • Tags :
  • Big Cats
  • Small Cats
  • Jungle Cat
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