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​Asiatic Golden Cat

  • 26 Oct 2024

In October 2024, Wildlife experts reconfirmed the presence of the rare Asiatic golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) in Assam’s Manas National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

  • This medium-sized felid is classified as "Near Threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is protected under Schedule-I of India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Key Points

  • Rediscovery: The cat’s presence was reconfirmed through camera trap captures, as reported in IUCN’s CATnews newsletter.
  • Collaborative Effort: The Assam Forest Department, Aaranyak (a biodiversity conservation organization), and other conservationists contributed to this rediscovery.
  • Habitats: The Asiatic golden cat spans diverse habitats, including dry deciduous, subtropical evergreen, and tropical rainforests, as well as temperate and sub-alpine forests at elevations up to 3,738 meters.
  • Absence and Rediscovery Timeline: Despite a sighting in 2007, intensive camera trapping from 2011 to 2018 yielded no records. However, camera captures in December 2019 and January 2021 confirmed its presence.