Assam: Presence Of 'Asiatic Golden Cat’ Verified To Exist In Manas National Park

CHIRANG: In a major addition to the diverse wildlife of the state, the existence of the Asiatic golden cat's (Catopuma temminckii) presence in Assam's Manas National Park has been verified.

This significant discovery was re-confirmed by a team comprising officials from the Assam Forest Department, conservationists from region’s leading biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org), as well as several other conservationists from different parts of India.

An intensive annual systematic camera trapping effort lasting for 39,700 trap-days and spanning over eight years between 2011 and 2018 went in vain as no sightings were recorded.

“Nevertheless, two photographic captures of the species were made in December 2019 and January 2021, following the camera trapping efforts of Assam Forest Department, Aaranyak and Panthera reconfirming its presence in the park following the end of the ethnopolitical conflict in Manas National Park,” Dr M Firoz Ahmed, one of the lead authors of the paper, said.

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