27.1.09

Rusty-spotted cat


The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) at Borivli has welcomed a tiny new guest — a Rusty-spotted cat. The threemonth-old blackish grey cat, one of the smallest wild cats in the world, was rescued by a farmer from Karad in Satara and brought to the Karad forest officer. “The officer brought it to us four days ago. We have kept her in an enclosure with three other Rusty-spotted kittens,” said Dr Vinaya Jangle, veterinary officer at SGNP. The rare Rusty-spotted cats are a native to forests of southern India and Sri Lanka and are much smaller (35-48 cm) than domestic cats. Officers claimed declining forest cover, hunting and urbanisation are pushing the cats out of their habitats and as a result, they are on the verge of extinction. “The national park had two Rusty-spotted cats that gave birth to three kittens in captivity. Since the species are vulnerable, the kittens cannot be put on display as yet. They are primarily arboreal animals and therefore live on trees. We have arranged for a special place to accommodate the kitten, which weighs 1.5 kg,” said Dr Jangle. The cat is a nocturnal hunter and preys upon small animals including rodents, frogs, reptiles and small birds. It is being fed on chicken at SGNP everyday.

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