A leopard cat has been spotted in Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve for the first time.
About Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis):
- Leopard Cat is a member of the Felidae family.
- Notable for its leopard-like colouration, featuring a coat that varies from pale tawny to yellow, red, or grey with black stripes and spots.
Distribution and Habitat:
- Found widely across Asia, from the Amur region in the Russian Far East to the Sunda Islands of Indonesia, including India and Southeast Asia.
- Habitats range from tropical evergreen rainforests to temperate broadleaf forests, coniferous forests, shrub forests, grasslands, and low-lying plantations.
- Particularly thrives in subtropical deciduous and coniferous forests located in the foothills of the Himalayas at altitudes over 1000 meters.
Behavioural Characteristics:
- They are solitary and nocturnal carnivores.
Conservation Status:
- Classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
- Listed in Appendix I of CITES.
Protected under Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972
Ref: Source
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