Rescued jungle cat kittens mistaken for leopard cubs

BHOPAL: IFS officers swear that they have come in possession of six 'leopard cubs' - one from Tanda (Dhar) and five from the wild animal's habitat in Dewas district. They are unable to conceal their excitement over the rich recovery, and taking pains to brief media about 'leopard litters and their activities'. The forest field staffers have not stopped at that. They have launched a hunt in Dewas forest for leopardess. And some of them, fearing that the leopardess is a victim man-animal conflict-have tracked pugmarks, which the researchers maintain, are of dogs

But the subject experts do not share senior forest officers' hurrah moment. Going by their assertion over the 'rich find', the newborn 'cubs' are jungle cat kittens ( felis chaus). Dr Shomita Mukherjee, a research scholar, who has done an extensive research on wild small cats, said a closer look at a picture of 'cubs' leaves no one in doubt that it is the species of jungle cat. The subject experts also expressed their unhappiness over forced shifting of jungle cats to Indore's Kamla Nehru zoo from the natural habitat. Her answer was in response to an email sent by Vibhav Chaturvedi, a senior project officer of WWF (Worldwide fund for nature) for confirmation of species. "They are 100% kittens of jungle cat" says Dr Shomita Mukherjee.

Dr Mukherjee, who has completed her PhD on the ecology and conservation of small cats, is currently pursuing post-doctoral research on the same subject at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore.

Incidentally, zoo authorities also share the forest officers' enthusiasm. Even in the past, they had put two emus in enclosure with a board displaying that the two captured animals were ostrich. This time also, they continue to believe that all six are leopard cubs.

Dr Mukherjee said many jungle cats are lost because locals are ignorant about the great role they play in the ecosystem and help us in saving crop by feeding on rodents found in fields. Villagers often pick kittens thinking that the young ones are domesticated breed, which is real sad, she adds.

"What if villagers' children are taken from their homes when they working in the fields, she asks citing if people do not care about its conservation they should at least realize the trauma and stress it causes to the mother cat.

WWF's Vaibhav says, "The kittens should have been left at the same place so that they could have reunited with the mother instead of shifting them. Predators like jungle cats are important as they control the rodent population in agriculture field. Wildlife activists say they will launch an awareness drive to explain villagers that jungle cats actually benefit them by eating rodents.

Wild cat

With long legs, a short tail, a broad nose, and enormous ears ending in little tufts of hair, the jungle cat looks like another member of the species — the caracal. It can be often found close to human habitation, hunting in crop fields and plantations for small rodents. They breed mainly during winter and this coincides with harvest. Although the species is protected under Indian law, the Wildlife Protection Society of India has reported the seizure of more than 3,000 jungle cat skin from poachers in the past decade, say experts.