Elusive Rusty-spotted cat sighted in Medak; conservation strategy on the cards

Researchers found scientific evidence of the cat, after searching it for four months across 40 villages located on the fringes of the Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary

Medak:  The Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary is home to the elusive Rusty-spotted cat, the world’s tiniest wild cat.

Researchers, who were working on conservation of Rusty-spotted cats, found scientific evidence of the cat, after searching it for four months across 40 villages located on the fringes of the Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary in Medak district. Beginning their work in September last year, the researchers installed 15 camera traps in the villages shifting them from one village to another village over four months.

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Speaking to Telangana Today, Wildlife head of Animal Warriors Conservation Society (AWCS), Amarnath Jakka, who was heading the conservation project, said they interviewed several villagers to check whether they had ever spotted such a cat by showing a picture of the cat. As some of them said yes, they made all out efforts to identify it and finally succeeded in their attempt.

Amarnath said they would now place more camera traps in and around Pocharam to identify the cat’s distribution and territorial range. Later, they would prepare a conservation strategy with the support of the Telangana Forest Department. The cat primarily feeds on rodents, birds, lizards and insects. Due to the loss of habitat, the population of Rusty-spotted cats is alarmingly falling in India.

The cat has been spotted only in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. As part of the conservation work, Amarnath said they would also educate villagers on the need to protect the tiny cat because it would help the farmers by feeding on rodents. Protection committees would be constituted in these villages as part of the conservation strategy, he said, adding that they were waiting for support from the Forest department.