Species in News: Marbled Cat

Species | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

Why in the News?

The elusive marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) has been spotted in Dehing Patkai National Park in Assam’s Tinsukia district.

The marbled cat is a small wild cat species native to South and Southeast Asia.
It belongs to the Felidae family and is closely related to the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and the bay cat (Catopuma badia).
The species was first described in 1836 by British zoologist William Charles Linnaeus Martin.
It is characterised by brown, gray, or yellowish fur with distinctive black spots, marbled patterns, and stripes for camouflage.
It is found in dense tropical and subtropical forests at elevations up to 2,500 meters.
It primarily inhabits rainforests, evergreen forests, and mountainous terrain.
It is arboreal, spending a significant amount of time in trees.
It is nocturnal and crepuscular, meaning it is most active at dawn and dusk.

- IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT) due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
- CITES: Appendix I

Dehing Patkai NP is located in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam, India, near the border with Arunachal Pradesh.
It spans an area of 231.65 km² and is part of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve. It was upgraded to a national park in 2020 and officially notified in 2021.
The park features the largest stretch of lowland rainforests in India, including Dipterocarp trees, orchids, and medicinal plants like Rauvolfia serpentina and Acorus calamus.
The park is home to diverse wildlife, including Bengal tigers, leopards, clouded leopards, Asian elephants, and Hoolock gibbons.
- It is unique for hosting seven species of wild cats.
The Dehing River flows through the park, nourishing its forests and contributing to the biodiversity.
Indigenous communities such as the Tai Phake, Khamti, and Singpho tribes have lived in the area for generations, maintaining a close relationship with the forest.
The park is situated in the Patkai Hills region, part of the Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot, known for its rich biodiversity.
Known as the Amazon of the East, Dehing Patkai National Park is famous for its pristine rainforest ecosystems and significant biodiversity.

[2015] Which one of the following National Parks has a climate that varies from tropical to subtropical, temperate and arctic?

(a) Khangchendzonga National Park

(b) Nandadevi National Park

(d) Namdapha National Park

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