The rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is the smallest wildcat in the world, endemic to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Although new occurrence records have recently been reported from different geographic localities in India and Nepal, there is still a lack of information on its biology and habitat use that are required for its conservation planning. Herein, we report results from systematic, long-term (2014–2018) camera trapping in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India, to evaluate the habitat use, suitability and activity pattern of the rusty-spotted cat and model its local distribution with habitat and anthropogenic covariates. Thick canopied forest and rugged terrain were found to be extensively used and preferred by the rusty-spotted cat. It was also recorded in the multiple-use buffer zone forests in close proximity to agriculture. The species is nocturnal and its activity seems to coincide with its major prey. The guiding philosophy of tiger reserves in India is to use the tiger as an umbrella species for biodiversity conservation, and often these reserves are intensively managed to enhance tiger and prey populations. This approach, however, may not cater to the requirements of other less charismatic sympatric species, and those of the rusty-spotted cat also need to be considered for its continued survival.

This study was supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development as part of the Greening the Grid Renewable Integration and Sustainable Energy (GTG-RISE) initiative, in collaboration with BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL). The authors thank the Hon. Director and Group CEO, BSES Delhi, Mr. Amal Sinha and the team-including Abhishek Ranjan and Avinash Kumar-for their timely support and help regarding the data sets used in this report as well as the GTG-RISE team for their valuable feedback and coordination.