Leopard Cat : Spotted
A leopard cat has been spotted in Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve for the first time, a senior forest official said recently.
- Leopard Cat is a species of forest-dwelling cat, of the family Felidae. It is noted for its leopard-like colouring.
- They are the most widely distributed Asian small cats.
- Their range extends from the Amur region in the Russian Far East over the Korean Peninsula, China, Indochina, the Indian Subcontinent, to the West in northern Pakistan, and to the south in the Philippines and the Sunda Islands of Indonesia.
- 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.
- 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.
- They are solitary, nocturnal carnivores.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern
