Assessing the habitat use, suitability and activity pattern of the rusty-spotted cat Prionailurus rubiginosus in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India

Abstract

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.

Records of Rusty-Spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India

“…Farther south, Vyas et al (2007) reported sightings of Rusty-spotted Cats in dry deciduous forest patches outside protected areas in northeastern Gujarat. Our records corroborate findings in other study areas that the Rusty-spotted Cat preferably inhabits forested areas and is foremost nocturnal in nature (Patel 2011;Basak et al 2018;Nimalrathna et al 2019;Bora et al 2020). In Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, multiple records in the areas around Tiger Path and Aarna imply the importance to sustainably manage these undisturbed forest habitats for the long-term viability of the Rustyspotted Cat population.…”

“…Several Rusty-spotted Cats were killed in traffic accidents (Tehsin 1994;Digveerendrasinh 1995;Karanth et al 2008;Behera & Borah 2010;Nayak et al 2017;Adhikari et al 2019). Very little is known about the home range and population dynamics of this elusive cat (Miththapala 2006;Nayak et al 2017;Adhikari et al 2019;Bora et al 2020).…”

The Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Rajasthan, India – a compilation of two decades

“…Despite the presence of spines on stem and branches, the cat was observed comfortably perched on a branch. These observations were in concurrence with the cat's semiarboreal behaviour (Nowell & Jackson 1996;Kumara & Singh 2007;Vasava et al 2012;Mukherjee & Koparde 2014), and preference for dense forest cover (Bora et al 2020;Chatterjee et al 2020).…”

“…The Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is native to India, Sri Lanka, and southern Nepal (Pocock 1939;Nowell & Jackson 1996;Prater 1998;Kittle & Watson 2004;Appel 2016;Lamichhane et al 2016). Across its range, it is closely associated with forest habitats (Nowell & Jackson 1996;Mukherjee 1998;Patel 2006;Appel 2016;Lamichhane et al 2016;Nimalrathna et al 2019;Bora et al 2020;Chatterjee et al 2020). Since 2016, it is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Mukherjee et al 2016).…”

Photographic record of the Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in southern Western Ghats, India

“…Our record of the Rusty-spotted Cat is consistent with its habitat use documented in eastern Gujarat (Patel 2006) (Basak et al 2018), Anaikatty Reserve Forest in Tamil Nadu (Mukherjee & Koparde 2014), and in the Aravalli Hills in Rajasthan (Sharma & Dhakad 2020;Singh & Kariyappa 2020). Elsewhere in India, it was also recorded in dry thorn forest, scrub forest, moist deciduous forest, semi-evergreen hill forest and sugarcane fields (Anwar et al 2012;Kalle et al 2013;Aditya & Ganesh 2016;Ghaskadbi et al 2016;Bora et al 2020;Chatterjee et al 2020;Deshmukh et al 2020;Sharma & Dhakad 2020;Silva et al 2020).…”