Status, Activity Pattern and Habitat Use of Rusty-Spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) in Gir Protected Area, Gujarat, India.

Abstract

Lack of ecological information apart from anthropogenic causes like habitat fragmentation is among the major hindrances in proper conservation planning of endemic rusty-spotted cat ( Prionailurus rubiginosus) . The present study assessed the status, fine scale habitat use, and activity pattern of the rusty-spotted cat using camera traps at 50 sites in Gir protected area, Gujarat, India. Camera traps were placed in a systematic grid of 4 km 2 and resulted in a total 2003 trap night effort. The rusty-spotted cat status was assessed using relative abundance indices, while the activity pattern was assessed using circular statistics. Generalized linear model with binomial distribution and logit link was used to assess the variables affecting habitat use of rusty-spotted cat. A total of 30 captures of the rusty-spotted cat were obtained, resulting in a RAI of 1.49 captures/100 trap nights. Activity pattern of rusty-spotted cat was nocturnal (mean activity =01:06 hours (S.E.=00:29)) and non-uniform (Z=17.84, p<0.05). Habitat use of rusty-spotted cat was found to be positively related to the rodent abundance and shrub height and negatively related to the tree abundance. Rusty-spotted cat used mixed habitat most followed by moist mixed, teak acacia ziziphus and thorn woodland habitat. The present study can act as a baseline for future studies on rusty-spotted cat in the Gir landscape.