‘Smallest’ cat spotted in Sariska
If the forest authorities and wildlife activists are to be believed, the world’s smallest cat has been sighted in Rajasthan’s Sariska Tiger Reserve. “It is good news for all wildlife lovers,” says a R.S. Shekhawat, the filed director of Sariska. According to the authorities, a pair of this rare cat was spotted by two wildlife volunteers in Alwar. The authorities said the Rusty Spotted cat is the world’s smallest cat and its length is 35 to 48 cm, while its tail is measured 15 to 30 cm.
“It is a very shy animal,” says Mr Shekhawat. “We seen the cat in pairs and have captured it in our camera,” says Nishant Sisodia, a wildlife volunteer in Alwar. Speaking over phone from Alwar, he said he and another volunteer, Anurag, spotted the cat. It’s weight ranges between 800 gram to 1.6 kg, says Mr Sisodia.
The Rusty Spotted cat is mainly found in India and Sri Lanka. It is a highly-protected animal and under India’s Wildlife Protection Act, it described as a Schedule One animal. Sariska, located 190 km from New Delhi, is nestled in the Aravali hills and covers an area of 800 sq km. It is termed as an excellent tiger reserve under the tiger project. It has five big cats translocated from the neighbouring Ranthambohre sanctuary.
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