Wildlife Institute of India (WII) records Rusty-spotted cat in National Chambal Sanctuary for the first time

Key facts

• Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have documented the first confirmed record of the Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) in the National Chambal Sanctuary and southern Uttar Pradesh.
• The Rusty-spotted cat is among the world smallest cats and is classified as a Near Threatened species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
• The study, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, documented two roadkill incidents involving a male and a female cat along the Bharthana-Sindaus road in Etawah district in 2025.
• The findings highlight the ecological significance of the Chambal-Yamuna interfluve landscape, which features an extensive ravine network stretching approximately 480 km in a 10-km wide belt.
• A separate research paper by the Department of Zoology at Indira Gandhi University (IGU) recently confirmed a sighting of a female adult and her kitten in Kot village, Faridabad, in July 2025.