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The Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in , – a compilation of two decades

Satsh Kumar Sharma & Meenu Dhakad SMALL WILD CATS 14 December 2020 | Vol. 12 | No. 16 | Pages: 17213–17221 DOI: 10.11609/jot.6064.12.16.17213-17221 SPECIAL ISSUE

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Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 14 December 2020 | 12(16): 17213–17221 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS DOI: htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.6064.12.16.17213-17221

#6064 | Received 30 April 2020 | Final received 20 August 2020 | Finally accepted 03 November 2020

C o m The Rusty-spoted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geofroy Saint-Hillaire, 1831) m u n (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Rajasthan, India i c – a compilaton of two decades a t 1 2 i Satsh Kumar Sharma & Meenu Dhakad o n 1 Chakariya Amba, Rampura Choraha, Road, , Rajasthan 313004, India. 2 Tiger Watch, Maa Farm, Ranthambhore Road, Post Khilchipur, Rajasthan 322001, India. 1 [email protected], 2 [email protected] (corresponding author)

Abstract: In Rajasthan, the presence of the Rusty-spoted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus was frst reported in 1994 in , the southernmost district of Rajasthan. Since then, it was also recorded in four more districts scatered over an area of about 86,205km2. We compiledसारांश: राज%थान informaton के दि,णी चोरabout पर 2%थत the उदयपुर occurrence िजले म9 1994of the म9 र=ीRusty-spoted-?ॉटेड कै ट (Prionailurus Cat in Rajasthan rubiginosus based) की onQथम direct उप2%थित sightngs, दजR की गयी road थी। इkills, स के बाद rescued 86,205 kitens,वगR िकमी and,े_ म9 camera फै ल े चार औरtrap िजलों images. म9 इसकी Our उप2%थित data दजR set cई। shows तefात that हमने the राज%थान Rusty-spoted म9 इसकी उप2%थित Cat is जानने also हेतु present Qh, अवलोकन in eight, सड़क more पर districts दुघRटना म9 ofमार Rajasthan गए, िवपदा म9 that फसे बचायेform िबलौटे part ofतथा the कै म रAravalli ा टn ैप म9 दजR Hills cए andQािणयों Vindhyan के िच_ इकoे Hills िकये in गए। the हमारे semi-arid pारा संगृहीत zone तrों of से easternयह ?s cआ Rajasthan. है की र=ी - ?ॉटेडThe area कै ट राज%थानencompassed के आठ और by िजलों these म9 भीrecords उप2%थत amounts है, जो अरावली to 71,586km2. Kitens were rescued in six instances. Adult cats were recorded in 45 instances including 41 live cats and four roadkills. Ten adultएवं िवंwन live पवRतमाला Rusty-spoted तथा पूवy राज%थान Cats were के अधR -sightedशु| ,े_ inह}। theिजन ,े_ोंmornings, म9 इस िब~ी and की 31 उप2%थित were दजR recorded cई है उनका afer फै ल dark ा व 71,586 between वगR िकमी late ,े_ eveningsतक है। अwÄ and के दौरानearly छह mornings. बार िबलौटे Theyबचाये गए।were वयÇ recorded िब2~यां 45in बारeight दजR habitatकी गयी िजनमे types 41 includingजीिवत तथा चार foremost सड़क दुघRटना thorny म9 मृत and पायी dryगई। दसdeciduous ÉÇ जीिवत forests, िब2~ंयाँ but सुबह also दे 2ख ravinesगयी एवं 31 and अँधेरे agricultural के समय दे र शाम felds और adjacentशुáआती सुबह to म9forests, दे 2ख गई। and ये िब2~यां in forest आठ patchesQकार के आवासों in the म9 vicinityदे खी गई, िजनम9of human कांटेदार setlements. और शु| पणRपाती The वन preservatonसबसे Qमुख ह}, लेिकन of forests ये कं द र ा is,े_ of, वनों utmost के िनकट importance 2%थत कृ ि ष ,े_ for एवं the long-term viability of the Rusty-spoted Cat. We strongly recommend surveys outside protected areas to determine the connectvity betweenमानव आबािदयों Rusty-spoted सके पा 2%थत वन Cat कुं जpopulaton ो ं म9 भी देखी गई। units र=ी in-?ॉटेड Rajasthan. कै ट के दीघRकालीन बचाव हेतु वन संर,ण सबसे जâरी है। हम राज%थान म9 र=ी-?ॉटेड कै ट की संäा इकाइयों के सãå को िनधाRçरत करने हेतु संरि,त ,े_ों के बाहर इ स के सवé,ण की पुरजोर अनुशंषा करते ह}। Keywords: Aravalli Hills, camera trapping, distributon, sightngs, small wild cat, Vindhyan Hills.

सारांश: राज%थान के दि,णी चोर पर 2%थत उदयपुर िजले म9 1994 म9 र=ी-?ॉटेड कै ट (Prionailurus rubiginosus) की Qथम उप2%थित दजR की गयी थी। इ स के बाद 86,205 वगR िकमी ,े_ म9 फै ल े चार और िजलों म9 इसकी उप2%थित दजR cई। तefात हमने राज%थान म9 इसकी उप2%थित जानने हेतु Qh, अवलोकन, सड़क पर दुघRटना म9 मार गए, िवपदा म9 फसे बचाये िबलौटे तथा कै म र ा टn ैप म9 दजR cए Qािणयों के िच_ इकoे िकये गए। हमारे pारा संगृहीत तrों से यह ?s cआ है की र=ी-?ॉटेड कै ट राज%थान के आठ और िजलों म9 भी उप2%थत है, जो अरावली एवं िवंwन पवRतमाला तथा पूवy राज%थान के अधR-शु| ,े_ ह}। िजन ,े_ों म9 इस िब~ी की उप2%थित दजR cई है उनका फै ल ा व 71,586 वगR िकमी ,े_ तक है। अwÄ के दौरान छह बार िबलौटे बचाये गए। वयÇ िब2~यां 45 बार दजR की गयी िजनमे 41 जीिवत तथा चार सड़क दुघRटना म9 मृत पायी गई। दस ÉÇ जीिवत िब2~ंयाँ सुबह दे 2ख गयी एवं 31 अँधेरे के समय देर शाम और शुáआती सुबह म9 दे 2ख गई। ये िब2~यां आठ Qकार के आवासों म9 दे खी गई, िजनम9 कांटेदार और शु| पणRपाती वन सबसे Qमुख ह}, लेिकन ये कं द र ा ,े_, वनों के िनकट 2%थत कृ ि ष ,े_ एवं मानव आबािदयों के पास 2%थत वन कु ं ज ो ं म9 भी दे खी गई। र=ी-?ॉटेड कै ट के दीघRकालीन बचाव हेतु वन संर,ण सबसे जâरी है। हम राज%थान म9 र=ी-?ॉटेड कै ट की संäा इकाइयों के सãå को िनधाRçरत करने हेतु संरि,त ,े_ों के बाहर इ स के सवé,ण की पुरजोर अनुशंषा करते ह}।

Editor:सारांश: Angieराज%थान Appel, के दि,णी Wild चोर पर Cat 2%थत Network, उदयपुर िजले Bad म9 1994 Marienberg, म9 र=ी-?ॉटे ड Germany. कै ट (Prionailurus rubiginosus) की Qथम उप2%थित दजR की गयी थी।Date इ स के of बाद publicaton: 86,205 वगR िकमी 14 ,े_ December म9 फै ल े चार और 2020 िजलों (onlineम9 इसकी उप2%थित & print) दजR cई। तefात हमने राज%थान म9 इसकी उप2%थित जानने हेतु Qh, अवलोकन, सड़क पर दुघRटना म9 मार गए, िवपदा म9 फसे बचाये िबलौटे तथा कै म र ा टnैप म9 दजR cए Qािणयों के िच_ इकoे िकये गए। हमारे pारा संगृहीत तrों से यह

Citaton:?s cआ हैSharma, की र=ी-?ॉटे S.K. ड कै & ट राज%थानM. Dhakad के आठ (2020).और िजलों म9The भी उप2%थतRusty-spoted है, जो अरावली Cat एवं Prionailurusिवंwन पवRतमाला तथाrubiginosus पूवy राज%थान (I.के अधRGeofroy-शु| ,े_ Saint-Hillaire,ह}। िजन ,े_ों म9 इस िब~ी1831) की (Mammalia:उप2%थित दजR cई हैCarnivora: उनका फै ल ा व Felidae)71,586 वगR in Rajasthan, India – a compilaton of two decades. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(16): 17213–17221. htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.6064.12.16.17213-17221 िकमी ,े_ तक है। अwÄ के दौरान छह बार िबलौटे बचाये गए। वयÇ िब2~यां 45 बार दजR की गयी िजनमे 41 जीिवत तथा चार सड़क दुघRटना म9 मृत पायी गई। दस ÉÇ जीिवत िब2~ंयाँ सुबह दे2ख गयी एवं 31 अँधेरे के समय देर शाम

Copyright:और शुáआती ©सुबह Sharma म9 दे2ख गई। & Dhakadये िब2~यां 2020आठ Qकार. Creatve के आवासों Commons म9 देखी गई, िजनम9 Atributon कांटेदार और 4.0 शु| Internatonal पणRपाती वन सबसे License. Qमुख ह}, लेिकन JoTT ये कंallows द र ा ,े_ ,unrestricted वनों के िनकट 2%थत use, कृ ि ष reproducton, ,े_ एवं मानव आबािदयों andस के distributon पा 2%थत वन कु ंof ज ो ं thisम9 artcle in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.

Funding: Tiger Watch.

Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests.

For Author details and Author contributon see end of this artcle.

Acknowledgements: The authors are grateful to the Forest Department of Rajasthan for providing necessary facilites to carry out the present study. The authors also express their heartelt grattude to Dharmendra Khandal, Raza H. Tehsin, Rahul Bhatnagar, T. Mohanraj, Balaji Kari, Savita Dahiya, Sudarashan Sharma and Parbat Singh Champawat for help, sharing informaton and discussions. Thanks are also due to Tiger Watch, Iskander Lalljee, Jaisal Singh, Ashutosh Mahadevia, Ishan Dhar and the Village Wildlife Volunteers for providing facilites and sharing informaton.

17213 J TT Rusty-spoted Cat in Rajasthan – compilaton of two decades Sharma & Dhakad

INTRODUCTION STUDY AREA

The Rusty-spoted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is Rajasthan is the largest state in India, with an area natve to India, Sri Lanka, and southern Nepal (Pocock of 342,239km2 in the north-western part of the country 1939; Nowell & Jackson 1996; Prater 1998; Kitle & (Roy & Jakhar 2002). In the north-west, Rajasthan is Watson 2004; Appel 2016; Lamichhane et al. 2016). bordered by Pakistan, in the north and north-east by the Across its range, it is closely associated with forest Indian states of Punjab, and Utar Pradesh, in habitats (Nowell & Jackson 1996; Mukherjee 1998; Patel the east by Madhya Pradesh and in the south by Gujarat 2006; Appel 2016; Lamichhane et al. 2016; Nimalrathna (Roy & Jakhar 2002). The most striking geological feature et al. 2019; Bora et al. 2020; Chaterjee et al. 2020). Since of Rajasthan is the Aravalli Hills, spanning at least 2,500 2016, it is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red million years of the Earth’s history (Roy & Purohit 2015). List of Threatened Species (Mukherjee et al. 2016). For The Aravalli Hills intersect Rajasthan from north-west decades, the knowledge about its distributon was based to south-east over about 800km and are bounded by on anecdotal sightngs in Jammu & Kashmir (Chakraborty the Thar Desert in the west and the Vindhyan Plateau 1978), Madhya Pradesh (Digveerendrasingh 1995), Odisha in the east (Roy & Jakhar 2002). The average elevaton (Acharjyo et al. 1997), Maharashtra (Dubey 1999; Athreya of the Aravalli Hills is 550–670 m, with the highest peak 2010), Gujarat (Digveerendrasingh 1987; Pathak 1990; rising to 1,722m (Roy & Jakhar 2002). The main forest Singh 1998; Chavan et al. 1999), Rajasthan (Tehsin 1994; types in Rajasthan are dry deciduous forest covering Sharma 2007), Karnataka (Kumara & Singh 2007), Tamil 12,850km2, thorn forest in 2,536.5km2, dry savannah Nadu (Pillay 2008), and Andhra Pradesh (Manakadan & in 593.5km2 and broad-leaved hill forest in 153.8km2 Sivakumar 2006; Behera 2008). Since camera traps are (Krishna & Reddy 2012). Forests are classifed into three widely used in wildlife surveys, it was photographed in categories, viz., reserve forest, protected forest, and multple locatons in Utar Pradesh (Anwar et al. 2010, un-classed forest as per provisions of Rajasthan Forest 2012), Haryana (Ghaskabdi et al. 2016), Chhatsgarh Act, 1953 ( 1953). Sariska, (Basak et al. 2018), and Punjab (Kanwar & Lomis 2020). Ranthambhore, and Mukundara Hills Natonal Parks are In Rajasthan, the Rusty-spoted Cat was frst reported managed under Project Tiger (Bhardwaj & Sharma 2013; in the outskirts of Udaipur City, where an individual was Singh & Reddy 2016). Except Desert Natonal Park and killed on a road passing through a forest patch (Tehsin Tal , all the other protected areas of the state 1994; Sharma 1999). Several sightngs in subsequent are either confned to the Aravalli Hills or east of this hill years confrmed its presence in the vicinity of Udaipur range (Sharma 2006). (Bhatnagar et al. 2000; Sharma et al. 2006; Sharma 2007). While pursuing the study, a partcular focus was Rusty-spoted Cats were also sighted in two tger reserves given to Udaipur’s surrounding districts, where of the state, namely Sariska (Sharma 1998; Mukherjee the Rusty-spoted Cat was frst observed, namely 1998, 2013) and Ranthambhore (Reddy 2002; Verma Rajasmand, , , Pratapgarh, Pali, 2008; Khandal & Khandal 2015) in and Sawai , Chitorgarh, and . Madhopur Districts, respectvely. A road kill was reported The northern and central Aravalli Hills from Alwar in District (Nayak et al. 2017), and sightngs in to Districts have Anogeissus pendula, Acacia (Singh et al. 2017). senegal, and Acacia catechu forests on hilly slopes, while Large forest tracts in India lie outside protected areas Boswellia serrata forests are confned towards upper and are subject to conversion for other land uses, a reaches (Champion & Seth 1968; Mathur 1996; Sharma development that negatvely impacts the Rusty-spoted & Koli 2014). Patches of thorny forest and Euphorbia Cat populaton in the country (Mukherjee et al. 2016). To caducifolia bushes are present in drier areas (Champion conserve vital forest habitat in Rajasthan, it is important to & Seth 1968; Mathur 1996; Bhandari 1990; Sharma understand how well the Rusty-spoted Cat is established 2011). The southern Aravalli Hills support mostly mixed throughout the state; however, nothing is known to date forests, Teak Tectona grandis forests, Anogeissus latfolia about its presence in other districts of the state. We forests and dry bamboo breaks (Champion & Seth 1968; address this knowledge gap by providing new informaton Mathur 1996; Sharma 2011). Butea monosperma about the occurrence of Rusty-spoted Cat across forests are confned to foothills (Champion & Seth 1968; Rajasthan. Our collaton consists of direct sightngs, road Mathur 1996; Sharma 2011). Anogeissus pendula and kills, rescues and camera trap records obtained between Acacia catechu forests are also present in the Vindhyan August 2000 and March 2020. Hills (Champion & Seth 1968; Mathur 1996).

17214 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 14 December 2020 | 12(16): 17213–17221 J TT Rusty-spoted Cat in Rajasthan – compilaton of two decades Sharma & Dhakad

The climate in the Thar Desert of western Rajasthan an area of 2,000km2 amountng to 79,310 camera trap is characterized by extreme temperatures and drought nights. with cold winters and freezing temperatures (Bhandari We defned three age groups, namely kitens with 1990). January is the coldest month with average mean closed eyes (I1), kiten with eyes opened (I2), and adults temperatures ranging from 12°C to 17°C (Sharma & Tiagi (A). When possible, we measured body length from 1979). Mean monthly temperatures in April to June vary snout to vent (BL), tail length from anus to tp of the tail from 34–40°C in the west of the Aravalli Hills to 28–32°C (TL) and weight (Wt) of rescued cats, and determined in the south (Sharma & Tiagi 1979; Shety & Singh 1987). their sex as female (F) or male (M) by close observaton Diurnal temperatures rise to 32°–47°C in May and June, of their external sex organs. The sex identfcaton of which are the hotest months (Sharma & Tiagi 1979). directly sighted and photographed animals remained The south-east Asian monsoon brings rain during the unknown (UN). months of June to September (Prakash et al. 2015), varying from 100–400mm in the west (Bhandari 1990; Sharma 2011) to over 1,300mm in the east (Prakash et RESULTS al. 2015). in the southwestern part of the Aravalli Hills is the only hill staton of the state, and We report 51 records of the Rusty-spoted Cat in 30 receives a maximum rainfall of 700–1,250 mm per year locatons across 13 districts of Rajasthan (Fig 1; Table (Bhandari 1990; Shety & Singh1987; Sharma 2002). 1). These records comprise 21 direct sightngs (41.18% of all records), 20 camera trap images (39.22%), six rescues (11.76%) and four road kills (7.84%). The cats MATERIAL AND METHODS were recorded in thorny and dry deciduous forest at 17 locatons (56.67% of all), and in the outskirts of human Opportunistc and sometmes planned surveys setlements at fve locatons (16.67%). Two locatons were conducted across Rajasthan from 2000 to (6.67%) were in ravines and two (6.67%) in agricultural 2020: to collect the data related to occurrence of the felds adjoining forest areas. One each was in Teak species, the following methods were adopted; direct forest, broad-leaved semi-evergreen hill forest, a fruit sightngs, rescue, road kill, and camera trap records. orchard and a public park in a densely populated human The frst author was an ofcer of the Rajasthan Forest habitaton (3.33% respectvely). The area encompassed Department and worked in various districts. Whenever by the 30 locatons of these records amounts to a Rusty-spoted Cat was encountered during patrolling 71,586km2. and routne dutes, notes were made about the date and Kitens were rescued in six instances (11.8% of all tme, locaton, surrounding habitat, sex of the individual, records), all of them in the mornings. Adult cats were and its actvity at the tme of sightng. Camera trap recorded in 45 instances (88.2%), including 41 live cats records include those obtained by the Rajasthan Forest (80.4%) and four found killed on roads (7.8%). The Department and by Tiger Watch, an organisaton that live adult cats were recorded by day between 06.09h has been working in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve and 11.56h in 10 instances (24.4% of all live cats) and since 1997. Tiger Watch runs a program called Village afer dark between 19.00h and 05.29h in 31 instances Wildlife Volunteers (VWV) in collaboraton with the (75.6%). Rajasthan Forest Department. VWV have been installing Cuddeback Atack camera traps in the peripheral areas of the reserve since 2015. The camera traps are mounted DISCUSSION at 45–50 cm above ground on trees or poles along mud roads, animal trails and dry stream beds at a distance of Our compilaton of records shows that the Rusty- 1–1.5 km between locatons. All locatons are situated spoted Cat inhabits thorny and dry deciduous forest in forest, grassland and ravine habitats. They are actve tracts in the Aravalli and Vindhyan Hills from the districts only by night for 12 hours and are set to trigger images of in the north to Banswara in the very south. with a minimum delay of fve seconds. VWV check them We did not learn of any sightngs in Thar Desert to the daily to download data, ensure proper functoning and west of the Aravalli Hills, although the frst author used replace drained bateries. The coordinates of locatons to work there. It is neither included in the faunal list are determined using a Garmin eTrex device. Untl April of the Thar Desert (Prakash 1963, 1964). We therefore 2020, camera traps were deployed at 200 locatons in assume that it is absent in this part of Rajasthan due to

Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 14 December 2020 | 12(16): 17213–17221 17215 J TT Rusty-spoted Cat in Rajasthan – compilaton of two decades Sharma & Dhakad

Figure 1. Records of the Rusty-spoted Cat in Rajasthan.

Image 1. Rusty-spoted Cat recorded on 14 October 2018 in Jaipur

District, Rajasthan. © Jaipur Forest Department Image 2. Rusty-spoted Cat found dead beside road on 27 October 2019 in , Rajasthan. © Nirav Bhat

the arid climate with sand dunes and sparse vegetaton. However, we think it possible that it may be recorded in We did not learn of any records in the districts of future in this area as the habitat is expected to change , Tonk, , Bhilwara, Baran, and from xeric to mesic due to the constructon of the Indira in the east of the Aravalli Hills, despite the presence of Gandhi Canal (Prakash 1986; Chandrakasan et al. 2010). dry deciduous forest. Rajsamand, Baran, and Jhalawar

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Table 1. Records of the Rusty-spoted Cat based on direct sightng (D), camera trap image (C), rescue (R), road kill (K) in Rajasthan. Numbers in the table correspond to numbers in Figure 1.

No. on Type of Age and Actvity of the cat at the tme Date and tme Locaton Habitat at locaton map record sex of observaton Udaipur District It was injured and sick. It was Foothills of Thur Magra Thorny and dry deciduous captured, kept in Gulab Bagh forest block, Udaipur East forest dominated by Acacia 1 19.viii.2000, 15.00h D A, M Zoo, treated and released Forest Range near Fateh senegal, A. leucophloea on 25.viii.2000 in the same Sagar Lake and Boswellia serrata habitat. I2, F Gorella village near Fruit orchard amidst a hilly The kiten was wailing 2 10.xi.2007, 08.30h R BL 21cm, Udaipur City forest contnuously TL 9cm A single individual sitng on a 16.iii.2008, 20.00h D A, UN 0.60m high boundary parapet wall of the sanctuary A single individual crossed 1.vii.2008, 19.00h D A, UN the road A single individual was sitng 2.viii.2008, 22.00h D A, UN on a 0.60m high boundary parapet wall A single individual walked on 22.viii.2008, 21.00h D A, UN the road near the sanctuary A single individual at a carcass Foothills of Sajjangarh Thorny and dry deciduous 3 5.xii.2008, 23.00h D A, UN dump in outskirts of Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary forest Wildlife Sanctuary A single individual fed on a 7.vi.2009, 20.00h D A, UN trampled Calotes versicolor on the road near sanctuary A single individual and a Leopard P. pardus were sitng 30.viii.2011, 20.30h D A, UN on the same boundary wall of the forest at a distance of only 50m from each other A single individual was sitng 13.iii.2014, 21.00h D A, F on a 0.60m high boundary parapet wall of the sanctuary Near village Surana on Agriculture felds adjacent 4 18.iv.2008, 16.00h K A, F Roadkill Ubheshwar – Jhadol road to forest areas 14.x.2008, 19.35h Thorny and dry deciduous A single individual sitng 7.i.2009, 20.00h Eastern part of Sajjangarh 5 D A, UN forest dominated by on the boundary wall of the Wildlife Sanctuary 17.iii.2009, 21.45h Boswellia serreta sanctuary 16.vi.2009, 21.45h A single individual crossed Public park inside densely the road and climbed a Cassia 6 11.ii.2009, 19.45h D A, UN Gulab Bagh, Udaipur populated human fstula tree. Several sightngs in habitaton the zoo premises Thorny and dry deciduous forest dominated by Acacia A road kill on Ubeshwar road. Chunaveri Kaler Forest senegal, A. leucophloea, During post mortem, a full 7 13.ix.2009, 08.00h K A, F Block, near village Gorela A. catechu, Ziziphus developed female embryo was nummularia and Boswellia found in the uterus serrata Tirol Village near Dhol- Outskirts of human A single individual in a fallow 8 5.v.2010, 20.00h D A, UN Kamol, Gogunda habitaton agricultural feld A single individual crossed Foothills of Thur Magra Thorny and dry deciduous the road. The stretch of forest block, Udaipur Forest forest dominated by Acacia 9 3.iii.2014, 08.00h D A, F road is generally busy with Range near Fateh Sagar senegal, A. leucophloea sharp curves, ofen prone to Lake and Boswellia serrata accidents Roadkill observed by Parbat Outskirts of human Singh Champawat, Forest 10 19.viii.2012, 08.30h K A, UN habitaton Range Ofcer, pers. comm. 19.viii.2012 An individual crossed the Thorny and dry deciduous Dudni village, near Jawai road, photographed by Deputy 11 19.iv.2016, 20.30h D A, UN forest dominated by Dam Conservator of Forests Balaji Prosopis julifora Kari

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No. on Type of Age and Actvity of the cat at the tme Date and tme Locaton Habitat at locaton map record sex of observaton Two wailing kitens in the forest without mother in sight. Afer waitng the whole day Bhagtol Forest Block, Range for their mother to return, the 12 19.xi.2010, 08.30h R I2, M, F Teak forest Ghatol forest staf eventually rescued and fostered the kitens. One died on 21.xi.2010 and another on 25.xi.2010 Chitaurgarh District I1, F One abandoned wailing kiten BL 14.5cm, Outskirts of human 13 15.ix.2013, 09.00h R Chitaurgarh was found in the outskirts of TL 5.5cm, habitaton the city Wt. 96g Pratapgarh District Two abandoned wailing kitens Agriculture felds adjoining 14 22.x.2014, 10.00h R I2, UN Arnod sighted by Forest Department forest staf Thorny and dry deciduous forest dominated by Acacia An abandoned kiten brought 15 31.vii.2015, 10.00h R I2, UN Sirohi senagal and Anogeissus to Udaipur zoo pendula Broad-leaved semi- 16 1.xii.2018, 21.00h C A, UN Mount Abu 10 camera trap photos evergreen hill forest Thorny and dry deciduous Two abandoned wailing kiten 17 30.vii.2016, 11.00h R I2, UN forest dominated by Acacia sighted by the forest staf senegal Mashalpur forest block, An individual recorded (T. Thorny and dry-deciduous 18 11.x.2019, 06.19h C A, UN Mukundara Hills Natonal Mohanraj pers. comm. forest Park 15.iii.2020) District An individual crossed the road and climbed an Acacia Outskirts of human 19 8.v.2013, 20.30h D A, UN Near Bodal Village leucophloea tree (Dharmendra habitaton Khandal pers. comm. 15.iii.2020) An individual appeared to be On the periphery of Thorny and dry deciduous searching for food, climbed 20 16.xii.2014, 20.30h D A, UN Ranthambore Natonal Park forest dominated by a tree afer being notced near helipad Anogeissus pendula (Dharmendra Khandal pers. comm. 15.iii.2020) An individual recorded by 21 24.v.2015, 11.18h C A, UN Amalideh near Banas River Ravines camera trap An individual recorded by 22 21.xi.2019, 05.10h C A, UN Talda Village Ravines camera trap A single individual was sitng Thorny and dry deciduous Ranthambhore Natonal on boundary wall of the park 23 11.i.2020, 20.30h D A, UN forest dominated by Park near helipad (Dharmendra Khandal pers. Anogeissus pendula comm. 15.iii.2020) Thorny and dry deciduous Near a perennial water forest dominated by An individual recorded by 24 20.ii.2019, 04.52h C A, UN source in Sakhawada area Anogeissus pendula, camera trap Acacia, Grewia tenax Jaipur District An individual recorded by camera trap (Shri Sudarshan Thorny and dry deciduous Sharma, Deputy Forest Ofcer, 25 14.x.2018, 05.29h C A, UN Jhalana Leopard Safari Park forest dominated by A. Wildlife, Jaipur, pers. comm. pendula 15.iii.2020) (Image 1) Roadkill observed by Nirav Outskirts of human 26 27.x.2019, 15.00h K A, UN Jhalana Bhat pers. comm. 15.iii.2020 habitaton (Image 2)

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No. on Type of Age and Actvity of the cat at the tme Date and tme Locaton Habitat at locaton map record sex of observaton District Near Marmda ghat, Thorny and dry deciduous An individual crossed the road 27 6.iii.2016, 20.30h D A, UN Kailadevi Wildlife Sanctuary forest with sparse A. and climbed a tree (KWS) pendula 28.xi.2017, 11.56h C A, UN 15.xi.2018, 06.09h C A, UN 29.iii.2019, 11.00h C A, UN 3.iv.2019, 01.33h C A, UN

11.v.2019, 11.43h C A, UN Thorny and dry deciduous An individual recorded by 28 3.vi.2019, 03.32h C A, UN Khaadka Ughena, KWS forest ~ 200m away from a camera trap 7.x.2019, 04.57h C A, UN seasonal stream (Image 3) 28.x.2019, 02.00h C A, UN 1.xi.2019, 08.53h C A, UN 7.xii.2019, 02.50h C A, UN 23.iii.2020, 09.32h C A, UN 4.i.2020, 01.52h C A, UN Thorny and dry deciduous An individual recorded by 29 Tipkan ghat in KWS forest dominated by A. camera trap 5.i.2020, 02.21h C A, UN pendula District Thorny and dry deciduous forest with Capparis Dhamoh Khoh, near An individual recorded by 30 20.ii.2020, 03.55h C A, UN decidua, Boswellia serrata, camera trap Butea monosperma, ~ 100m away from a stream

& Singh 2007; Patel 2006; Anwar et al. 2010, 2012; Vyas & Upadhyay 2014; Aditya & Ganesh 2016; Ghaskadbi et al. 2016; Lamichhane et al. 2016; Basak et al. 2018). Cats sighted at night in Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Jhalana Leopard Safari Park and Ranthambhore Natonal Park, however, were restng, either sitng or walking on boundary and parapet walls. On one occasion, both Rusty-spoted Cat and Leopard were observed sitng on the same parapet wall at a distance of only 50m from each other. This observaton was made in the rainy season when the ground was covered with thick and tall grasses, which may hinder the cat’s vision on the ground. On one occasion, the cat was observed on Ronjh

Image 3. Rusty-spoted Cat recorded on 3 April 2019 in Karauli trees Acacia leucophloea and other thorny tree species.

District, Rajasthan. © Tiger Watch Ronjh is a thorny 6–8 m high tree with sharp stpular spines up to 3.5cm long (Shety & Singh 1987). Despite the presence of spines on stem and branches, the cat have protected forests, whereas forests in Dausa, Tonk, was observed comfortably perched on a branch. These and Bhilwara are not protected. To date, no camera observatons were in concurrence with the cat’s semi- trapping survey was carried out in these forests. In arboreal behaviour (Nowell & Jackson 1996; Kumara & view of our records of the Rusty-spoted Cat in thorny Singh 2007; Vasava et al. 2012; Mukherjee & Koparde and dry deciduous forests in other parts of the Aravalli 2014), and preference for dense forest cover (Bora et al. and Vindhyan Hills, we consider it likely that it will be 2020; Chaterjee et al. 2020). recorded there as well in future surveys. We found nine kitens between July and November, Most of the adult cats were recorded afer dark, indicatng that females give birth in the warm season. confrming the foremost nocturnal actvity of the Rusty- Females under captve conditons also gave birth in spoted Cat observed in other study areas (Mukherjee January, April, and July to October (Dmoch 1997). 1998; Chavan et al. 1999; Kitle & Watson 2004; Kumara We found four Rusty-spoted Cats killed on roads in

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20 years. Increased road networks and vehicular trafc Basak, K., M. Ahmed, M. Suraj, C. Sinha, B.V. Reddy, O.P. Yadav & K. may pose a threat, as road kills were also observed in Mondal (2018). First picture and temporal actvity of Rusty-spoted Cat from Chhatsgarh, Central India. Cat News 67: 27–28. other areas (Digveerendrasingh 1995; Dubey 1999; Behera, S. (2008). Rusty-Spoted Cat in Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Behera 2008; Vyas & Upadhyay 2014; Adhikari et Reserve. Cat News 48: 19. Bhandari, M.M. (1990). Flora of the Indian desert. MPS Repros, , al. 2019). Especially at night, the cat was observed 435pp. to venture on roads to scavenge on roadkills, which Bhardwaj, G.S. & B.K. Sharma (2013). Status of Tiger in Rajasthan. increases the risk of getng hit by vehicles. Signifcant Pp453–468 in: Sharma, B.K., S. Kulshreshtha & A.R. Rahmani (eds). Faunal Heritage of Rajasthan, India. Spinger Internatonal Publishing, preventve measures are required to prevent the New York, Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, 645pp. Rusty-spoted Cat from falling victm to road accidents. Bhatnagar, R., V.S. Rana & S.K. Sharma (2000). The occurrence of Rusty- Patrolling staf should be trained to check incidents of spoted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosa) near Thur-Magra forest block in Udaipur City, Rajasthan. Zoos’ Print 15(12): 8. roadkills and dumped catle carcasses and remove them Bora, J.K., N. Awasthi, U. Kumar, S. Goswami, A. Pradhan, A. Prasad, D.R. from roads passing through forests. Other measures like Laha, R. Shukla, S.K. Shukla, Q. Qureshi & Y.V. Jhala (2020). Assessing proper waste disposal system from roadside hotels and the habitat use, suitability and actvity patern of the Rusty-spoted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India. 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Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 14 December 2020 | 12(16): 17213–17221 17221 PLATINUM The Journal of Threatened Taxa (JoTT) is dedicated to building evidence for conservaton globally by publishing peer-reviewed artcles online every month at a reasonably rapid rate at www.threatenedtaxa.org. OPEN ACCESS All artcles published in JoTT are registered under Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License unless otherwise mentoned. JoTT allows allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of artcles in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.

ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)

December 2020 | Vol. 12 | No. 16 | Pages: 17171–17262 Date of Publicaton: 14 December 2020 (Online & Print) www.threatenedtaxa.org DOI: 10.11609/jot.2020.12.16.17171-17262

Editorial

Foreword to the third special issue on small wild cats – Angie Appel & Shomita Mukherjee, Pp. 17171–17172

Review

Historical and current extent of occurrence of the Caracal Caracal caracal (Schreber, 1776) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in India – Dharmendra Khandal, Ishan Dhar & Goddilla Viswanatha Reddy, Pp. 17173–17193

Communicatons

Rediscovery of Caracal Caracal caracal (Schreber, 1776) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Abu Dhabi Emirate, UAE – Robert Gubiani, Rashed Al Zaabi, Justn Chuven & Pritpal Soorae, Pp. 17194–17202

The Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennet, 1833) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Shuklaphanta Natonal Park, Nepal – Bhupendra Prasad Yadav, Angie Appel, Bishnu Prasad Shrestha, Bhagawan Raj Dahal & Maheshwar Dhakal, Pp. 17203–17212

The Rusty-spoted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geofroy Saint-Hillaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Rajasthan, India – a compilaton of two decades – Satsh Kumar Sharma & Meenu Dhakad, Pp. 17213–17221

Male residency of Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi (Cuvier, 1823) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in a peat swamp forest, Indonesian Borneo – Lynn Pallemaerts, Adul, Ici P. Kulu, Karen Anne Jefers, David W. Macdonald & Susan Mary Cheyne, Pp. 17222–17228

Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa (Grifth, 1821) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in illegal wildlife trade in Nepal – Yadav Ghimirey & Raju Acharya, Pp. 17229–17234

Anaesthetc, clinical, morphometric, haematological, and serum chemistry evaluatons of an Andean Cat Leopardus jacobita (Cornalia, 1865) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) before release in Bolivia – L. Fabián Beltrán-Saavedra, Rolando Limachi Quiñajo, Grace Ledezma, Daniela Morales-Moreno & M. Lilian Villalba, Pp. 17235–17244

Reunion with the mother: a successful rehabilitaton strategy for displaced wild Rusty-spoted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geofroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) kitens – Ajay Deshmukh, Yaduraj Khadpekar, Mahendra Dhore & M.V. Baijuraj, Pp. 17245–17251

Short Communicatons

Updatng records of a threatened felid species of the Argentnian Patagonia: the Guigna Leopardus guigna (Molina, 1782) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Los Alerces Natonal Park – Maria de las Mercedes Guerisoli, Mauro Ignacio Schiafni & Gabriel Bauer, Pp. 17252–17257

Records of Rusty-Spoted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geofroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India – Hemant Singh & Aditya Kariyappa, Pp. 17258–17262 Publisher & Host

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Threatened Taxa