Pallas’s Cat

• A recent wildlife survey in Arunachal Pradesh has captured the first-ever photographic evidence of the elusive Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul) in the state.
• This sighting is significant as it expands the known distribution of the species in the Eastern Himalayas, adding to previous records from Sikkim, Bhutan, and eastern Nepal.

About the Pallas’s Cat

• The Pallas’s cat is one of the world’s most rarely photographed and least-studied wild cat species. Its survival depends on its ability to blend seamlessly into its environment, with its coat color changing from gray to light tan depending on the season.
• This solitary cat is a nocturnal ambush predator, often found waiting patiently at the burrows of rodents, which make up a large part of its diet. While it is found across a wide range of countries from Turkmenistan to Russia, its secretive nature makes it difficult to track. The species is currently listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).