Asiatic golden cat

14 Nov 2024 10:49:15 am

Tags : Asiatic golden cat

Topic: Biodiversity

Why in the news?

After a long absence, the Asiatic golden cat has been spotted again in Assam\'s Manas National Park, marking a significant conservation success. Collaborative efforts of the Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak emerged victorious after years of effort, ending an eight-year monitoring drought.

Source: The Times of India

About Asiatic golden cat:

It is a medium sized cat with relatively long legs.
It is commonly known as “fire cat” in Thailand and Burma, and as “rock cat” in parts of China.
It is found in Southeast Asia, from Nepal and Tibet to Southern China, Sumatra and India.
It prefers forest habitats that are interspersed with rocky areas, being found in deciduous, tropical and subtropical evergreen rainforests.
Its fur ranges in color from cinnamon to various shades of brown, and also gray and black (melanistic).
Conservation Status:
IUCN Red List: Near threatened
Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972: Schedule 1

Manas National Park:

It is located in the foothills of Himalayas in Assam.
It is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan.
The area has a unique distinction of being a Natural World Heritage Site, a Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Reserve, a Biosphere Reserve and an Important Bird Area.
It is one of the first reserves included in the tiger reserve network under project tiger in 1973.
It forms part of a large tiger conservation landscape which includes Buxa-Nameri-Pakke-Namdapha tiger reserves and protected areas of Bhutan and Myanmar.
Manas River, a major tributary of Brahmaputra River, passes through here.
Its vegetation comprises Sal, scrub forests, old plantations (in buffer areas), semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forests, interspersed with grasslands and riparian vegetation (in core area).
It is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Hispid Hare, Pygmy Hog, Golden Langur, Indian Rhinoceros, Asiatic Buffalo etc.