Secretive jungle cats need habitats outside protected areas: study, Pg2

Key Highlights:

• A recent study estimates India's jungle cat population between 1.57 lakh and 4.59 lakh.
• Jungle cats prefer agro-pastoral landscapes but face threats outside protected areas.
• The study highlights the need for conservation strategies beyond protected areas.
• Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Odisha have the largest jungle cat populations.

Detailed Insights:

Jungle Cats

• The study used camera-trap data and machine learning to model suitable habitats.
• Conservation requires recognizing the ecological value of open ecosystems.
• Wildlife passageways are needed alongside infrastructure development.
• Hybridization with domestic cats and diseases from stray dogs are potential threats.
• The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 protects jungle cats, but enforcement is lacking.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Agro-pastoral landscapes: Areas combining agriculture and livestock grazing.
• IUCN Red List: Inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
• Hybridisation: The process of interbreeding between individuals of different species.