The jungle cat has a uniformly sandy, reddish-brown or grey fur without spots;melanistic andalbino individuals are also known. It is solitary in nature, except during the mating season and mother–kitten families.
Adults maintainterritories byurine spraying andscent marking. Its preferred prey is smallmammals and birds. It hunts by stalking its prey, followed by a sprint or a leap; the ears help in pinpointing the location of prey. Both sexes becomesexually mature by the time they are one year old; females enteroestrus from January to March. Mating behaviour is similar to that in the domestic cat: the male pursues the female in oestrus, seizes her by the nape of her neck and mounts her.Gestation lasts nearly two months. Births take place between December and June, though this might vary geographically. Kittens begin to catch their own prey at around six months and leave the mother after eight or nine months.
In 1778,Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber usedchaus as the species name and is therefore considered thebinomial authority.[2][6]Paul Matschie in 1912 andJoel Asaph Allen in 1920 challenged the validity of Güldenstädt's nomenclature, arguing that the nameFelis auriculis apice nigro barbatis was not abinomen and therefore improper, and that "chaus" was used as a common name rather than as part of the scientific name.[7]
In the 1820s,Eduard Rüppell collected a female jungle cat nearLake Manzala in theNile Delta.[8]Thomas Hardwicke's collection of illustrations of Indian wildlife comprises the first drawing of an Indian jungle cat, named the "allied cat" (Felis affinis) byJohn Edward Gray in 1830.[9] Two years later,Johann Friedrich von Brandt proposed a new species under the nameFelis rüppelii, recognising the distinctness of the Egyptian jungle cat.[10] The same year, a stuffed cat was presented at a meeting of theAsiatic Society of Bengal that had been caught in the jungles ofMidnapore inWest Bengal, India. J. T. Pearson, who donated the specimen, proposed the nameFelis kutas, noting that it differed in colouration fromFelis chaus.[11]Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire described a jungle cat from the area ofDehra Dun in northern India in 1844 under the nameFelis jacquemontii in memory ofVictor Jacquemont.[12]
In 1836,Brian Houghton Hodgson proclaimed the red-eared cat commonly found in Nepal to be a lynx and therefore named itLynchus erythrotus;[13]Edward Frederick Kelaart described the first jungle cat skin fromSri Lanka in 1852 and stressed upon its close resemblance to Hodgson's red cat.[14]William Thomas Blanford pointed out the lynx-like appearance of cat skins and skulls from the plains aroundYarkant County andKashgar when he describedFelis shawiana in 1876.[15]
Nikolai Severtzov proposed thegeneric nameCatolynx in 1858,[16] followed byLeopold Fitzinger's suggestion to call itChaus catolynx in 1869.[17] In 1898,William Edward de Winton proposed to subordinate the specimens from the Caucasus, Persia andTurkestan toFelis chaus typica, and regrouped the lighter built specimens from the Indian subcontinent toF. c. affinis. He renamed the Egyptian jungle cat asF. c. nilotica becauseFelis rüppelii was already applied to a different cat. A skin collected nearJericho in 1864 led him to describe a new subspecies,F. c. furax, as this skin was smaller than other Egyptian jungle cat skins.[18] A few years later,Alfred Nehring also described a jungle cat skin collected in thePalestine region, which he namedLynx chrysomelanotis.[19]Reginald Innes Pocock reviewed the nomenclature of felids in 1917 and classified the jungle cat group as part of the genusFelis.[20] Another subspecies,Felis chaus fulvidina, was named byOldfield Thomas in 1928.[21]
During an expedition toAfghanistan in the 1880s, mammal skins were collected and later presented to theIndian Museum. One cat skin without a skull from the area ofMaimanah in the country's north was initially identified as ofFelis caudata, but in the absence of skins for comparison the author was not sure whether his identification was correct.[22] In his revision ofAsiatic wildcat skins collected in theZoological Museum of Berlin, the German zoologistZukowsky reassessed the Maimanah cat skin, and because of its larger size and shorter tail thancaudata skins proposed a new species with the scientific nameFelis (Felis) maimanah. Zukowsky assumed that the cat inhabits the region south of theAmu Darya River.[23] The Russian zoologistOgnev acknowledged Zukowsky's assessment but also suggested that more material is needed for a definitetaxonomic classification of this cat.[24] In his posthumously publishedmonograph about skins and skulls of thegenusFelis in the collection of theNatural History Museum, the British taxonomist Pocock referred neither to Zukowsky's appraisal nor to jungle cat skins from Afghanistan.[25] The Britishnatural historianEllerman and zoologistMorrison-Scott tentatively subordinated the Maimanah cat skin as a subspecies ofFelis chaus.[26]
In 1969, the Russian biologist Heptner described a jungle cat from the lower course of theVakhsh River in Central Asia and proposed the nameFelis (Felis) chaus oxiana.[27]
In the 1930s, Pocock reviewed the jungle cat skins and skulls fromBritish India and adjacent countries. Based mainly on differences in fur length and colour he subordinated thezoological specimens from Turkestan to Balochistan toF. c. chaus, the Himalayan ones toF. c. affinis, the ones fromCutch toBengal underF. c. kutas, and the tawnier ones from Burma underF. c. fulvidina. He newly described six larger skins fromSind asF. c. prateri, and skins with shorter coats from Sri Lanka and southern India asF. c. kelaarti.[28]
In 2005, the authors ofMammal Species of the World recognized 10 subspecies asvalid taxa.[2] Since 2017, the Cat Specialist Group considers only three subspecies as valid. Geographical variation of the jungle cat is not yet well understood and needs to be examined.[29]The following table is based on theclassification of the species provided inMammal Species of the World. It also shows thesynonyms used in the revision of the Cat Classification Task Force:
Results of anmtDNA analysis of 55 jungle cats from variousbiogeographic zones in India indicate a highgenetic variation and a relatively low differentiation between populations. It appears that the central IndianF. c. kutas population separates theThar DesertF. c. prateri populations from the rest and also the south IndianF. c. kelaarti populations from the north IndianF. c. affinis ones. The central Indian populations are genetically closer to the southern than to the northern populations.[34]
The jungle cat is a medium-sized, long-legged cat, and the largest of the extantFelis species.[35][36] The head-and-body length is typically between 59 and 76 cm (23 and 30 in). It stands nearly 36 cm (14 in) at shoulder and weighs 2–16 kg (4.4–35.3 lb).[37][38] Its body size decreases from west to east; this was attributed to greater competition from small cats in the east.[39] Its body size shows a similar decrease from the northern latitudes toward the tropics.Sexually dimorphic, females tend to be smaller and lighter than males. The face is long and narrow, with a whitemuzzle. The large, pointed ears, 4.5–8 cm (1.8–3.1 in) in length and reddish brown on the back, are set close together; a small tuft of black hairs, nearly 15 mm (0.59 in) long, emerges from the tip of both ears. The eyes have yellowirises and ellipticalpupils; white lines can be seen around the eye. Dark lines run from the corner of the eyes down the sides of the nose and a dark patch marks the nose.[37][38][40] The skull is fairly broad in the region of thezygomatic arch; hence the head of this cat appears relatively rounder.[27]
Thecoat, sandy, reddish brown or grey, is uniformly coloured and lacks spots;melanistic andalbino individuals have been reported from the Indian subcontinent. White cats observed in the coastline tracts of the southernWestern Ghats lacked the red eyes typical of true albinos. A 2014 study suggested that their colouration could be attributed to inbreeding.[41] Kittens are striped and spotted, and adults may retain some of the markings. Dark-tipped hairs cover the body, giving the cat a speckled appearance. The belly is generally lighter than the rest of the body and the throat is pale. The fur is denser on the back compared to the underparts. Twomoults can be observed in a year; the coat is rougher and lighter in summer than in winter. The insides of the forelegs show four to five rings; faint markings may be seen on the outside. The black-tipped tail, 21 to 36 cm (8.3 to 14.2 in) long, is marked by two to three dark rings on the last third of the length.[38][35] The pawprints measure about 5 cm × 6 cm (2.0 in × 2.4 in); the cat can cover 29 to 32 cm (11 to 13 in) in one step.[27] There is a distinctspinal crest.[40] Because of its long legs, short tail and tuft on the ears, the jungle cat resembles a smalllynx.[35] It is larger and more slender than thedomestic cat.[42]
A jungle cat in the Sundarbans, IndiaFemale at side of road near Thol Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat, India
The jungle cat is found in theMiddle East, the Caucasus, theIndian subcontinent, central and Southeast Asia,Sri Lanka and in southernChina.[1][43][40]Ahabitat generalist, the jungle cat inhabits places with adequate water and dense vegetation, such asswamps,wetlands,littoral andriparian areas, grasslands and shrub. It is common in agricultural lands, such as fields of bean and sugarcane, across its range, and has often been sighted near human settlements. As reeds and tall grasses are typical of its habitat, it is known as "reed cat" or "swamp cat".[44][42] It can thrive even in areas of sparse vegetation, but does not adapt well to cold climates and is rare in areas where snowfall is common.[35] Historical records indicate that it occurs up to elevations of 2,310 m (7,580 ft) in theHimalayas.[28] It shunsrainforests and woodlands.[35][36][42]
InIran, it inhabits a variety of habitat types from plains and agriculture lands to mountains ranging from elevations of 45 to 4,178 m (148 to 13,707 ft) in at least 23 of 31provinces of Iran.[48]In Pakistan, it was photographed inHaripur,Dera Ismail Khan,Sialkot Districts and Langh Lake Wildlife Sanctuary.[49]
In India, it is the most common small wild cat.[39]In Nepal, it was recorded in alpine habitat at elevations of 3,000–3,300 m (9,800–10,800 ft) inAnnapurna Conservation Area between 2014 and 2016.[50]
In Malaysia, it was recorded in a highly fragmented forest in theSelangor state in 2010.[51]
The jungle cat is typicallydiurnal and hunts throughout the day. Its activity tends to decrease during the hot noon hours. It rests in burrows, grass thickets and scrubs. It often sunbathes on winter days. Jungle cats have been estimated to walk 3–6 km (1.9–3.7 mi) at night, although this likely varies depending on the availability of prey. The behaviour of the jungle cat has not been extensively studied. It is solitary and associates with conspecifics only in the mating season. The only prominent interaction is the mother-kitten bond.Territories are maintained byurine spraying andscent marking; some males have been observedrubbing their cheeks on objects to mark them.[38][35]
Leopards,tigers,bears,crocodiles,dholes,golden jackals,fishing cats, largeraptors andsnakes are the mainpredators of the jungle cat.[27][38] The golden jackal in particular can be a major competitor to the jungle cat.[55] When it encounters a threat, the jungle cat will vocalise before engaging in attack, producing sounds like small roars – a behavior uncommon for the other members ofFelis. The meow of the jungle cat is also somewhat lower than that of a typical domestic cat.[27][38] The jungle cat can hostparasites such asHaemaphysalis ticks andHeterophyes trematode species.[56]
Primarily a carnivore, the jungle cat prefers smallmammals such asgerbils,hares androdents. It also hunts birds, fishes, frogs, insects and small snakes. Its prey typically weighs less than 1 kg (2.2 lb), but occasionally includes mammals as large as younggazelles.[38][35] The jungle cat is unusual in that it is partially omnivorous: it eatsfruits, especially in winter. In a study carried out inSariska Tiger Reserve, rodents were found to comprise as much as 95% of its diet.[57]
The jungle cat hunts by stalking its prey, followed by a sprint or a leap; the sharp ears help in pinpointing the location of prey. It uses different techniques to secure prey. The cat has been observed searching formuskrats in their holes. Like thecaracal, the jungle cat can perform one or two high leaps into the air to grab birds.[35] It is an efficient climber as well.[27] The jungle cat has been clocked at 32 km/h (20 mph).[36][35] It is an efficient swimmer, and can swim up to 1.5 km (0.93 mi) in water and plunge into water to catch fish.[58]
Both sexes becomesexually mature by the time they are one year old. Females enteroestrus lasting for about five days, from January to March. In males,spermatogenesis occurs mainly in February and March. In southernTurkmenistan, mating occurs from January to early February. The mating season is marked by noisy fights among males fordominance. Mating behaviour is similar to that in the domestic cat: the male pursues the female in oestrus, seizes her by the nape of her neck and mounts her. Vocalisations andflehmen are prominent during courtship. After a successful copulation, the female gives out a loud cry and reacts with aversion towards her partner. The pair then separate.[27][38]
Gestation lasts nearly two months. Births take place between December and June, though this might vary geographically. Before parturition, the mother prepares a den of grass in an abandoned animal burrow, hollow tree or reed bed.[35] Litters comprise one to five kittens, typically two to three kittens. Females can raise two litters in a year.[27][38] Kittens weigh between 43 and 55 g (1.5 and 1.9 oz) at birth, tending to be much smaller in the wild than in captivity. Initially blind and helpless, they open their eyes at 10 to 13 days of age and are fully weaned by around three months. Males usually do not participate in the raising of kittens; however, in captivity, males appear to be very protective of their offspring. Kittens begin to catch their own prey at around six months and leave the mother after eight or nine months.[27][59] The lifespan of the jungle cat in captivity is 15 to 20 years; this is possibly higher than that in the wild.[38]
Major threats to the jungle cat includehabitat loss such as the destruction of wetlands,dam construction,environmental pollution,industrialisation andurbanisation.Illegal hunting is a threat in Turkey and Iran. Its rarity in Southeast Asia is possibly due to high levels of hunting.[1]Since the 1960s, populations of the Caucasian jungle cat living along theCaspian Sea and in theCaucasus range states have been rapidly declining. Only small populations persist today. There has been no record in theAstrakhan Nature Reserve in theVolga Delta since the 1980s.[61] It is rare in the Middle East. InJordan, it is highly affected by the expansion of agricultural areas around the river beds ofYarmouk andJordan rivers, where farmers hunted and poisoned jungle cats in retaliation for attacking poultry.[62] It is also considered rare and threatened inAfghanistan.[63] India exported jungle cat skins in large numbers, until this trade was banned in 1979; some illegal trade continues in the country, in Egypt and Afghanistan.[1]
In the 1970s, Southeast Asian jungle cats still used to be the most common wild cats near villages in certain parts of northernThailand and occurred in many protected areas of the country.[64] However, since the early 1990s, jungle cats are rarely encountered and have suffered drastic declines due to hunting and habitat destruction. Today, their official status in the country iscritically endangered.[65] InCambodia,Laos andVietnam, jungle cats have been subject to extensive hunting. Skins are occasionally recorded in border markets, and live individuals, possibly taken fromMyanmar or Cambodia, occasionally turn up in the Khao Khieo andChiang Mai zoos of Thailand.[66]
The jungle cat is listed underCITES Appendix II. Hunting is prohibited in Bangladesh, China, India, Israel, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Thailand and Turkey. But it does not receive legal protection outside protected areas inBhutan,Georgia, Laos, Lebanon, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.[44]
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