Asian golden cat

Why in News?

• According to the experts, these are the first photographic records of the melanistic Asian golden cat, also known as the Temminck’s cat, from West Bengal.

About Asian golden cat:

• It is a medium sized cat with relatively long legs.
• Scientific name: Catopuma temminckii
• Other names: They are known as the “fire cat” in Thailand and Burma, and as the “rock cat” in parts of China.
• Distribution: The species occurs in Southeast Asia, from Nepal and Tibet to Southern China, Sumatra and India.
• Habitat: It prefers forest habitats that are interspersed with rocky areas, being found in deciduous, tropical and subtropical evergreen rainforests.
• Their fur ranges in color from cinnamon to various shades of brown, and also gray and black (melanistic).
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN: “Near threatened”
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972: Schedule 1

Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR):

• Location: BTR lies in Alipurduar sub-division of Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.
• Its northern boundary runs along the international border with Bhutan.
• It is the easternmost extension of extreme bio-diverse North-East India & represents the highly endemic Indo-Malayan region.
• The fragile "Terai Eco-System" constitutes a part of this Reserve.
• BTR serves as an international corridor for elephant migration between India and Bhutan.
• The reserve encompasses as many as eight forest types.
• Flora: The main species constitutes trees like Sal, Champ, Gamar, Simul, Chikrasi.
• Fauna: The main species include Asian Elephant, Tiger, Gaur, Wild boar, Sambar,Wild dog (Dhole).