Elusive marbled cats spotted at Dehing Patkai Nat’l Park

Dibrugarh: The elusive marbled cats have been spotted through camera traps at Dehing Patkai National Park in Assam's Tinsukia district. The rare sighting, captured during a two-month camera trapping initiative, has sparked excitement among conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
Assam forest minister Chandra Mohan Patowary expressed his enthusiasm in a Facebook post, stating, "Exciting conservation news!! Our camera trap inside Dehing Patkai National Park just captured a rare sighting of elusive Marbled Cats. This is a testament to the rich biodiversity of Assam and the success of our conservation efforts."
Digboi Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) TC Ranjit Ram announced the discovery on Friday, revealing that 2-3 Marbled Cats were recorded in the park and its surrounding reserve forest. The camera trapping project, launched in November 2024 in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), aimed to study the biodiversity of the region. Over the two-month period, the strategically placed cameras successfully captured images of the elusive feline species.
"We are thrilled to share that our camera traps, set up across various areas of Dehing Patkai National Park and reserve forest, have recorded 2-3 marbled cats. This joint project with WII has yielded significant results, and we are optimistic about further discoveries," said Ram.
The marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata), a small wild cat native to the eastern Himalayas and Southeast Asia, is known for its striking marbled-patterned fur and arboreal lifestyle. Typically inhabiting forested areas at elevations of up to 2,500 metres, the species is listed as ‘near threatened' (NT) on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and fragmentation. The recent sighting at Dehing Patkai National Park, a biodiversity hotspot in Assam, provides valuable insights into the species' distribution and conservation status in the region.
"The presence of marbled cats at Dehing Patkai highlights the importance of protecting this unique ecosystem. There is the need for continued research and habitat preservation to ensure the survival of such rare species," wildlife conservationist Joynal Abedin said.