Leopard cat

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Context:

• Leopard cat sighted in Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve for first time.

Leopard cat

• It is a species of forest-dwelling cat.
• It is noted for its leopard-like colouring.
• It is the most widespread species after the jungle cat in India due to its “adaptive flexibility”
• Scientific name : Prionailurus bengalensis,
• Family: Felidae
• Distribution: It is restricted to North East India, northern Himalayan states, West Bengal, Odisha, and pockets of Western Ghats. It was believed to be absent in central India.
• Habitat:
  • They are found in agriculturally used areas but prefer forested habitats.
  • They live in tropical evergreen rainforests and plantations at sea level, in subtropical deciduous and coniferous forests in the foothills of the Himalayas at altitudes above 1000 m.
• Features:
  • They vary widely in size and appearance across their range. The colouration ranges from pale tawny, to yellow, red, or grey above, with the underparts white, and spotted.
  • There are usually four black stripes running down the forehead to the nape, breaking up into short bands and elongate spots on the shoulders.

Note: 15 species of felids, or wild cats, are found in India, constituting over 40 per cent of global felid diversity.

Pench TR:

• The Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya pradesh gets its name from the Pench river is spread over 740 sq km.
• The flora is predominantly dominated by teak trees.
• The Reserve shows corridor connectivity with the Melghat Tiger Reserve to the west, Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve to the southeast, Pench Tiger Reserve (MP) to the north, and Kanha Tiger Reserve (MP) to the northeast.

Source:

https://theprint.in/india/leopard-cat-sighted-in-maharashtras-pench-tiger-reserve-for-first-time-official/2081611/