Species In News: Indian Desert Cat

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.

Source: TH