Asiatic Wildcat
Encyclopedia
The Asiatic wildcat is a wildcat
subspecies that occurs from the eastern Caspian
into western India
, and north to Kazakhstan
, and into western China
and southern Mongolia
. As it is the most common and widely distributed wild cat, it is listed as Least Concern
by IUCN since 2002.
It is also known as the Asian steppe wildcat and Indian desert cat.
differ from the European wildcats by having a more greyish-yellow or reddish background color, marked distinctly with small black or red-brown spots. The spots are sometimes fused into stripes, especially in the Central Asian regions east of the Tian Shan Mountains.
In Pakistan
and India, wildcats have pale sandy yellow coats, marked with small spots that tend to lie in vertical lines down the trunk and flanks. The fur is usually short, but varies depending on the age of the individual and season of the year. The tail always has a black tip, and the underparts of the paws are black. A small tuft of hair grows on the tip of each ear. They weigh about 3 to 4 kg (6.6 to 8.8 lb).
is the transitional zone between the European wildcat
to the north and west, and the Asiatic wildcat to the south and east. In this region, European wildcats are found in montane forest, and Asiatic wildcats are found in the low-lying desert
and semi-desert areas adjoining the Caspian sea
. They usually occur in close proximity to water sources, but are also able to live year-round in waterless desert. They range up to 2000 to 3000 m (6,561.7 to 9,842.5 ft) in mountain areas with sufficient dense vegetation. Snow depth limits the northern boundaries of their range in winter.
In India
, Asiatic wildcats are most typically associated with scrub desert. In 1999, they were still reported as present in the Rajasthan
i districts of Bikaner
, Barmer
, Jaisalmer
, Pali
and Nagaur
.
They inhabit the Rajasthan Desert and Rann of Kutch
including the adjoining Banni grasslands in India and the desert
areas of Sindh
in Pakistan
. The Jalore Wildlife Sanctuary, located near Jalore
in Rajasthan is one of the only accessible wildlife areas where Asiatic wildcats are present in sizeable numbers.
In the srcub habitat of western Rajasthan, they live largely on desert gerbil
s, but also hunt hare
s, rat
s, dove
s, gray partridge
s, sandgrouse
s, peafowl
, bulbul
s, sparrow
s and eat eggs of ground birds. They have also been observed killing cobra
s, saw-scale viper
s, sand boas, gecko
s, scorpion
s and beetle
s.
Wildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
subspecies that occurs from the eastern Caspian
Caspian
Caspian can refer to:"Caspian" comes from the word "Gazvin" which is the name of a city in north of Iran and one of the nearest cities to the Caspian sea.*The Caspian Sea*The Caspian Depression, surrounding the northern part of the Caspian Sea...
into western India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and north to Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, and into western China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and southern Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. As it is the most common and widely distributed wild cat, it is listed as Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
by IUCN since 2002.
It is also known as the Asian steppe wildcat and Indian desert cat.
Characteristics
The wildcats of Central AsiaCentral Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
differ from the European wildcats by having a more greyish-yellow or reddish background color, marked distinctly with small black or red-brown spots. The spots are sometimes fused into stripes, especially in the Central Asian regions east of the Tian Shan Mountains.
In Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and India, wildcats have pale sandy yellow coats, marked with small spots that tend to lie in vertical lines down the trunk and flanks. The fur is usually short, but varies depending on the age of the individual and season of the year. The tail always has a black tip, and the underparts of the paws are black. A small tuft of hair grows on the tip of each ear. They weigh about 3 to 4 kg (6.6 to 8.8 lb).
Distribution and habitat
The CaucasusCaucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
is the transitional zone between the European wildcat
European Wildcat
The European Wildcat is a subspecies of the wildcat that inhabits forests of Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, as well as Scotland, Turkey and the Caucasus Mountains; it has been extirpated from Scandinavia, England, and Wales. Some authorities restrict F. s...
to the north and west, and the Asiatic wildcat to the south and east. In this region, European wildcats are found in montane forest, and Asiatic wildcats are found in the low-lying desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
and semi-desert areas adjoining the Caspian sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
. They usually occur in close proximity to water sources, but are also able to live year-round in waterless desert. They range up to 2000 to 3000 m (6,561.7 to 9,842.5 ft) in mountain areas with sufficient dense vegetation. Snow depth limits the northern boundaries of their range in winter.
In India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Asiatic wildcats are most typically associated with scrub desert. In 1999, they were still reported as present in the Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
i districts of Bikaner
Bikaner district
Bikaner District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The historic city of Bikaner is the district headquarters. Bikaner is also Division with the four district: Bikaner, Churu, Sri Ganganagar and Hanumangarh.-Geography:...
, Barmer
Barmer district
Barmer is a district of Rajasthan state, India. Barmer is the district headquarters. Balotra, Guda Malani, Baytoo, Siwana, Jasol and Chohatan are other major towns.-Geography:...
, Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer district
Jaisalmer District is a district of Rajasthan state in western India. The city of Jaisalmer is the administrative headquarters of the district.As of 2011 it is the least populous district of Rajasthan .-Geography:...
, Pali
Pali district
Pali District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The town of Pali is the district headquarters.-History:...
and Nagaur
Nagaur District
Nagaur District is one of the 33 districts of the state of Rajasthan in western India.Area of the district is 17,718 km2. The city of Nagaur is the district headquarters.- Geography :...
.
They inhabit the Rajasthan Desert and Rann of Kutch
Rann of Kutch
The Great Rann of Kutch, also called Greater Rann of Kutch or just Rann of Kutch , is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India and the Sindh province of Pakistan....
including the adjoining Banni grasslands in India and the desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
areas of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The Jalore Wildlife Sanctuary, located near Jalore
Jalore
Jalor, also known as Jalore , is a city in Rajasthan state of western India. It is the administrative headquarters of Jalor District.- Geography :...
in Rajasthan is one of the only accessible wildlife areas where Asiatic wildcats are present in sizeable numbers.
Ecology and behaviour
Asiatic wildcats are frequently observed in the daytime. They rest and den in burrows.In the srcub habitat of western Rajasthan, they live largely on desert gerbil
Gerbil
A gerbil is a small mammal of the order Rodentia. Once known simply as "desert rats", the gerbil subfamily includes about 110 species of African, Indian, and Asian rodents, including sand rats and jirds, all of which are adapted to arid habitats...
s, but also hunt hare
Hare
Hares and jackrabbits are leporids belonging to the genus Lepus. Hares less than one year old are called leverets. Four species commonly known as types of hare are classified outside of Lepus: the hispid hare , and three species known as red rock hares .Hares are very fast-moving...
s, rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s, dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
s, gray partridge
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
s, sandgrouse
Sandgrouse
The sandgrouse are a family, Pteroclididae, of 16 bird species, the only living members of the order Pteroclidiformes. They are restricted to treeless open country in the Old World, such as plains and semi-deserts. They are distributed across northern, southern and eastern Africa as well as...
s, peafowl
Peafowl
Peafowl are two Asiatic species of flying birds in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae, best known for the male's extravagant eye-spotted tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, the female a peahen, and the offspring peachicks. The adult female...
, bulbul
Bulbul
Bulbuls are a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands...
s, sparrow
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
s and eat eggs of ground birds. They have also been observed killing cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
s, saw-scale viper
Viper
-Animals:* Viper , any snake in the family Viperidae* Water viper , a venomous snake found in the eastern United States* Eastern Hognose Snake , a harmless snake found in North America* Viperfish...
s, sand boas, gecko
Gecko
Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....
s, scorpion
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
s and beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s.