Leopard cat
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Context:
- Leopard cat sighted in Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve for first time.
Leopard cat
- It is a species of forest-dwelling cat.
- It is noted for its leopard-like colouring.
- It is the most widespread species after the jungle cat in India due to its “adaptive flexibility”
- Scientific name : Prionailurus bengalensis,
- Family: Felidae
- Distribution: It is restricted to North East India, northern Himalayan states, West Bengal, Odisha, and pockets of Western Ghats. It was believed to be absent in central India.
- Habitat:
- 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.
- Features:
- 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.
Note: 15 species of felids, or wild cats, are found in India, constituting over 40 per cent of global felid diversity.
Pench TR:
- The Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya pradesh gets its name from the Pench river is spread over 740 sq km.
- The flora is predominantly dominated by teak trees.
- The Reserve shows corridor connectivity with the Melghat Tiger Reserve to the west, Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve to the southeast, Pench Tiger Reserve (MP) to the north, and Kanha Tiger Reserve (MP) to the northeast.
Source:
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Examine the effectiveness of tiger conservation efforts in India, analyzing the role of government policies, international collaborations, community participation, and challenges faced, with emphasis on ecological sustainability and biodiversity preservation.(250 words) |
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