OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: In a groundbreaking wildlife survey across Arunachal Pradesh’s high-altitude rangelands, researchers have captured the first-ever photographic evidence of the elusive Pallas cat, shining a spotlight on the region’s extraordinary wildcat diversity.
Conducted by WWF-India in collaboration with the state forest department and local communities, the survey also documented snow leopards, common leopards, clouded leopards, leopard cats, and marbled cats thriving above 4,200 metres.
“This discovery marks a milestone for wildlife research in the eastern Himalayas,” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Nyilyang Tam.
The project, funded by the UK government through the Darwin Initiative, involved 136 camera traps installed at 83 locations across 2,000 sq km in West Kameng and Tawang districts, capturing rare glimpses of high-altitude species in extreme terrain.
The survey recorded India’s highest elevation sightings for multiple species: common leopard at 4,600 metres, clouded leopard at 4,650 metres, marbled cat at 4,326 metres, Himalayan wood owl at 4,194 metres, and grey-headed flying squirrel at 4,506 metres, potentially surpassing known global limits.
The Pallas cat was observed just below its absolute global maximum of 5,050 metres, emphasizing its status as one of the most elusive and least studied felines.
WWF-India’s director for Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Archita Baruah Bhattacharyaa, said, “These findings reveal the remarkable richness of Arunachal’s high-altitude ecosystems and underline the importance of science-based, community-led conservation.”
Also Read: Arunachal Governor Greets Khowa Community on Pham Kho Sowai
Also Watch: