Abstract
The marbled catPardofelismarmoratais a Near Threatened small felid. The cat’s presence in Nepal is based on an anecdote. A camera trap-based study to access diversity and abundance of terrestrial mammals in eastern Nepal accumulated 3,014 camera trap days and resulted in 5,176 photographs of 17 medium-large sized mammal species. Amongst them, a marbled cat was captured at a single camera trap station in January 2018. The camera trap-capturing the marbled cat was located in the secondary forest at an altitude of 2,750 m a.s.l., dominated by free-ranging cattle close to a permanent human settlement (1.4 km) and a temporary cattle herding camp (0.4 km). This is the first photographic evidence of a marbled cat in Nepal. In this survey, we also recorded three other felid species: common leopardPantherapardus, Asiatic golden-catCatopumatemminckiiand leopard catPrionailurusbengalensis. We recommend detailed year-round camera trap surveys in the mid-hills of eastern Nepal along with research on adaptation of the small felids to human-dominated areas and assessment of immediate threats for preparing sound conservation management plans of the marbled cat and its sympatric species. Initiation of conservation programmes engaging localdokpa(herders) is necessary.
Highlights
The marbled cat, Pardofelis marmorata Martin, 1837, is categorised as ‘Near Threatened’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Ross et al 2016) and nationally data deficient in Nepal (Amin et al 2018; Jnawali et al 2011)
Out of the two distinct subspecies of marbled cats, Pardofelis marmorata marmorata and Pardofelis marmorata charltonii (ITIS 2018; Kitchener et al 2017), the latter is distributed from the foothills of Nepal, through Sikkim, Assam and into upper Myanmar (Pocock 1939)
During the successive spring season (March-June), we surveyed the area where the marbled cat was detected intensively and systematically with seven monitoring stations. This resulted in 233 more camera days but with no more images of the marbled cat
Summary
The marbled cat, Pardofelis marmorata Martin, 1837, is categorised as ‘Near Threatened’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Ross et al 2016) and nationally data deficient in Nepal (Amin et al 2018; Jnawali et al 2011). Camera traps have been recording and providing new information on distribution and aspects of ecology, in recent times, of small and medium-sized wild felids throughout Southeast Asia, such as the marbled cat (Tempa et al 2013; Thinley et al 2015; Wibisono and McCarthy 2010). Camera traps provide absolute evidence that a species is present in an area but are not sufficient to propose conservation action without associating natural densities, habitat quality, quantity, connectivity, land use, hunting pressure etc.
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