In News
- An Indian desert cat has been spotted for the first time in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR).
- The presence of a desert cat was also recorded in the State’s Nauradehi sanctuary.
Image Courtesy: IE
About Indian Desert Cat
- The Indian Desert Cat is also known as the Asiatic Wildcat or the Asian Steppe Wildcat.
- Scientific Name: Felis lybica .
- Description:
- It is smaller than the European wildcat and its fur is more yellow or reddish in colour with characteristic small black or reddish-brown spots and sometimes stripes.
- The toes of the species have cushion-like hair which helps them balance the fluctuating desert temperatures.
- Distribution:
- This cat is found in deserts and can survive without water.
- It is widely distributed from the Caucasus and Turkey to western India, northward to Kazakhstan, western China and southern Mongolia.
- Conservation Status:
- The wildcat (including Felis silvestris and Felis lybica) is considered as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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Panna National Park
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Source: TH
