Thrilling Discovery: Majestic Asiatic Golden Cat Sighted Again in Assam’s Manas National Park!
In a collaborative breakthrough, officials from the Assam Forest Department, alongside conservationists from Aaranyak and other Indian experts, have reconfirmed the presence of the elusive Asiatic golden cat in Assam’s Manas National Park. While a direct sighting was noted back in 2007, an extensive camera-trapping effort spanning 39,700 trap-days between 2011 and 2018 yielded no definitive evidence of the cat. However, photographic evidence from December 2019 and January 2021 has confirmed its presence in the park, a finding celebrated by the end of ethnopolitical conflict in the region.
Key contributors to this groundbreaking research, recently published in the summer 2024 edition of ‘CATNews’ by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group, included Dr. M. Firoz Ahmed and Dr. Dipankar Lahkar from Aaranyak, as well as several other notable conservationists. The Asiatic golden cat, a medium-sized feline found across Northeast India, Southeast Asia, and southern China, is currently listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and is protected under India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.
Adaptable and resilient, this wild cat thrives in diverse habitats, from dry deciduous forests to tropical rainforests and even reaches heights of 3,738 meters in temperate and sub-alpine forests. In Northeast India, its presence is documented in multiple protected areas, such as Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Buxa and Dampha Tiger Reserves, and several wildlife sanctuaries throughout the region, as well as in Bhutan.
The rediscovery of the Asiatic golden cat in Manas National Park brings new hope for its conservation and highlights the need for ongoing efforts to safeguard this remarkable species and its habitat. Ensuring the long-term survival of the golden cat will require sustained conservation initiatives, underlining the ecological significance of this feline in preserving biodiversity.
Original Story https://nenews.in/assam/presence-of-asiatic-golden-cat-reconfirmed-in-assams-manas-national-park/15075/
Category : Assam,Asiatic golden cat,Manas National Park
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Publish Date: 2024-10-22 14:12:00
