Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 November 2025 | 17(11): 27985–27991

 

ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) 

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9708.17.11.27985-27991

#9708 | Received 22 February 2025 | Final received 13 August 2025 | Finally accepted 17 November 2025

 

 

Small Wild Cats Special Series

Sightings of the Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Saurashtra Peninsula, Gujarat, India

 

Raju Vyas 1 , Pranav Vaghashiya 2 & Devendra Chauhan 3        

 

1 Sashwat Flats, BPC-Haveli Road, Alkapuri, Vadodara, Gujarat 390007, India.

2 Vasundhara Nature Club, 193 Bapunagar, Joshipura, Junagadh, Gujarat 362002, India.

3 Khodiyar Krupa, Asha Society, Shivnagar, Joshipura, Junagadh,  Gujarat 362002, India.

1 razoovyas@hotmail.com (corresponding author), 2 pranav4940@gmail.com, 3 drdevenchuhan@gmail.com

 

 

Editor: Angie Appel, Wild Cat Network, Germany.          Date of publication: 26 November 2025 (online & print)

 

Citation: Vyas, R., P. Vaghashiya & D. Chauhan (2025). Sightings of the Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Saurashtra Peninsula, Gujarat, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 17(11): 27985–27991. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9708.17.11.27985-27991

 

Copyright: © Vyas et al. 2025. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.

 

Funding: None.

 

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

 

Author details: Dr. Raju Vyas is now retired after 30+ years of service as a zoo inspector at the Sayaji Baug Zoo, Vadodara, India. Based in Vadodara City, he has conducted long-term research on the natural history of birds, mammals, and reptiles of Gujarat, especially crocodiles and their habitats, as well as on human-crocodile interactions, for more than 25 years. Presently, he is the regional vice chair of the IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group (South Asia and Iran), and a member of various IUCN/SSC Specialist Groups. Pranav Vaghashiya is a naturalist, by profession an educationist, and the founder and president of Vasundhara Nature Club, Junagadh, and runs education and awareness programs in the Saurashtra region. Being a member of the IUCN/SSC Crocodile Specialist Group (South Asia and Iran), monitoring mugger crocodiles of the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and rescuing wildlife with the assistance of the staff of the local forest department, Gujarat Forest Department, Gujarat. Devendra Chauhan is a naturalist and wildlife photographer. By profession, a medical doctor, and as a member of the Vasundhara Nature Club, he has handled various education and awareness programs in the Saurashtra region and documented the wildlife of Gujarat, India. He is also assisting with a small-mammal survey using camera traps with the forest department.

 

Author contributions: Raju Vyas—design, development of concept, and manuscript writing. Pranav Vaghashiya—design, work-Coordination, field work. Devendra Chauhan—field work, Data analysis, manuscript writing

 

Acknowledgements: We are thankful to many friends and forest staff members for sharing photographs and information, especially Ajay Sonimar, Amit Vaghashiya, Ankit Shukla, Bhavesh Trivedi, Bhautik Dudhatra, Chandrasinh Ranva, Dipak Vadhare, Gaurang Bagda, Indranil Ghosh, Kanbhai Jadav, Kaushal Sharma, Mahesh Sondarva, Munir Jikani, Parth Aghera, Piyush Dolariya, Piyush Hirpara, Rajdeep Jhala, Ravikumar Patel, Vishvjitsinh Solanki, and Urmil Jhaveri. We also thank Kaushal Patel and Pritesh Patel for their help in plotting the data and GIS mapping. We are grateful to PCCF, the Gujarat State Forest Department, and deputy conservator of forests and range forest officers of Girnar, Paniya, Mitiyala, Gir wildlife sanctuaries and National Park for their great support and encouragement during the study. We are grateful to three anonymous reviewers and Angie Appel for their constructive suggestions that improved earlier versions of our manuscript.

 

 

Abstract: We document 31 sightings of the Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus in the Asiatic Lion Landscape in Gujarat, India, in the period 2016–2024. Twenty-seven sightings occurred in Junagadh District, three in Amreli District and one in Gir Somnath District. Live individuals were observed in 21 incidents and dead ones in 10 incidents, including nine road kills. A total of 17 sightings (54.84%) occurred in revenue land, agricultural land and unclassified forest areas; 14 sightings (45.16%) occurred in protected areas, including seven in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, six in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and one in Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary. We observed Rusty-spotted Cats in trees on nine occasions. We discuss general distribution within Gujarat, and the negative impact of road networks being a threat to the species.

 

Keywords: Asiatic Lion Landscape, distribution, Gir, natural history, protected ares, roadkills, small wild cat, threats.

 

 

 

Introduction

 

The Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus is distributed from the western Terai in India and Nepal to southern India and Sri Lanka (Mukherjee et al. 2016). In India, it is afforded the highest legal protection status under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) (Ministry of Law and Justice 2022). Globally, it is categorised as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List (Mukherjee et al. 2016).

In India, the Rusty-spotted Cat occurs in the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha (Mukherjee et al. 2016). It has also been recorded in protected areas of Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Bihar, and Punjab (Ghaskadbi et al. 2016; Basak et al. 2018; Kanwar & Lomis 2020; Jhala et al. 2021). Records in tiger reserves indicate that it is associated with mixed deciduous forests in low-lying and dry habitats (Habib et al. 2025). Observations by researchers and camera trap records also revealed its presence outside protected areas and in diverse habitats (Manchi et al. 2024; Mukherjee & Nandini 2024; Pawar et al. 2024).

In Gujarat, the Rusty-spotted Cat has been recorded in the arid landscape of Kutch (Mukherjee & Nandini 2024). Sightings have been reported in the dry deciduous forests of central and northern Gujarat and in the moist deciduous forests of Dang District (Digveerendrasinh 1987; Singh 2013; Patel et al. 2024). Since 1986, it has been sighted in Vansda National Park, Purna Wildlife Sanctuary, Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary, Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary (Digveerendrasinh 1987; Pathak 1990; Chavan et al. 1991; Patel 2006; Vyas & Upadhyay 2014; Vyas et al. 2018; Chaudhary et al. 2022; Patel et al. 2024).

We report sighting records of the Rusty-spotted Cat in the Saurashtra Peninsula between January 2016 and December 2024, along with information on habitat, predation, threats, and natural history.

 

Study Area

Our study area was located in the districts of Junagadh, Amreli, and Gir Somnath in the Saurashtra Peninsula of southwestern Gujarat (Figure 1). These three districts are part of the Asiatic Lion Landscape (ALL), which encompasses five protected areas, several protected, reserved and unclassed forests, scrublands, grasslands, croplands, and settlements (Ram et al. 2023). The five protected areas within the ALL are Gir National Park, Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary, Mitiyala Wildlife Sanctuary, and Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary (Ram et al. 2023). The main forest type in the Saurashtra Peninsula is dry deciduous thorn forest (Rodgers & Panwar 1988). As of 2016, the forested area in Saurashtra and Kutch totalled 10,822 km2, equivalent to about 5.5% of Gujarat, whereas 41,370 km2 (21.1%) was under agriculture (Dehingia & Surendra 2020).

Apart from the Rusty-spotted Cat, the Lion Panthera leo, Leopard P. pardus and Jungle Cat Felis chaus also occur in the ALL (Ram et al. 2023).

The Saurashtra Peninsula experiences a temperature range of 8–42 ⁰C; it receives 100–865 mm of rain during the rainy season from June to September (Parmar et al. 2025).

 

 

Material and Methods

 

We initially designed 1.5 km long stretches with five transects in Gir and Girnar Wildlife Sanctuaries within a zone that we considered to represent potential habitat of the Rusty-spotted Cat. During the first three months, all transects were surveyed once a week in the mornings (0530–0630 h) and again in the late evenings (1800–2000 h). However, we did not encounter any cats during these walks. Therefore, we conducted random visits to potential habitat areas. The current results are based on opportunistic sightings during irregular visits and excursions in and around the study area.

Behavioural observations were conducted using Nikon Monarch 8 x 42 and Nature Trek 12 x 50 binoculars. Photographs were taken with Sony Point Shoot, Canon EOS 7d and Sony Alpha a7III digital cameras. The latter two models were equipped with a 100–400 mm Canon and a Sony 200–600 mm camera lens, respectively. Coordinates were recorded using Garmin e-Trex 10 and E-Trex 20 GPS devices set to WGS 84. For each sighting, we collected information on habitat type, activity, and time of sighting.

In addition to our own sightings, we gathered photographic records and associated relevant information from forest department staff, nature club volunteers, wildlife observers and photographers. We revisited the locations of these secondary sightings and determined their coordinates using the mobile phone application GPS Coord Camera.

All data were compiled in Microsoft Excel 2011 and analysed to determine spatial-temporal patterns of sightings, roadkill incidents and preparation of maps. Simple statistical analyses were performed to calculate averages and percentages of sightings.

 

 

Results

 

We collated 31 sightings of the Rusty-spotted Cat made from January 2016 to December 2024 (Table 1; Figure 1). Sightings ranged from one each in 2017 and 2019 to seven (22.58%) in 2023, with an average of 3.4 sightings per year (Figure 2). These include 13 sightings by the authors and 18 by secondary sources. Sightings encompass 27 (87.1% of all) in Junagadh District, three (9.68%) in Amreli District, and one (3.22%) in Gir Somnath District. Of these total sightings, 17 (54.84%) occurred outside protected areas (PAs), and 14 (45.16%) inside PAs, comprising seven in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, six in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and one in Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary.

Live individuals were observed in 21 incidents (67.75% of all sightings), including eight (38.10%) inside forests and 13 (61.90%) at the edges of forested areas and near settlements. Three sightings (14.29%) of live individuals occurred during the day, and 18 (85.71%) between dusk and dawn. Nine individuals were observed in trees that we identified as Manila Tamarind Pithecellobium dulce (Image 4A), Wild Almond Sterculia foetida, Teak Tectona grandis, Cluster Fig Ficus racemosa, and Oval-leaved Wheel Creeper Combretum ovalifolium (Image 4C).

Dead Rusty-spotted Cats were found in 10 incidents (32.26% of all sightings), including nine road kills, of which five occurred inside wildlife sanctuaries. Four road kills were found on village roads, and five on state highways. One dead individual was observed in the mouth of an adult Lion (Image 5B).

 

 

Discussion

 

Our sightings document the presence of the Rusty-spotted Cat in Girnar, Paniya, and Gir Wildlife Sanctuaries and the adjacent unprotected forests. They also show that some individuals venture into plantations and crop fields adjacent to forest edges. Similar observations of Rusty-spotted Cats at forest edges have also been reported in other study areas (Patel & Jackson 2004; Patel 2006 2011; Vasava et al. 2012; Lele & Chunekar 2013; Mukherjee & Koparde 2014; Vyas & Upadhyay 2014; Sharma & Dhakad 2020; Roy & Makwana 2023).

The majority of live individuals were sighted after dusk, corroborating the nocturnal activity pattern of the Rusty-spotted Cat (Bora et al. 2020; Jhala et al. 2021).

The individual with the non-reflecting right eye sighted by night at the edge of Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary (Image 3B) resembles a similar case encountered in eastern Gujarat (Vyas & Upadhayay 2014). The Lion carrying a Rusty-spotted Cat in its mouth is an unusual incident, as the Lion typically preys on large ungulates (Ram et al. 2023).

Our roadkill records corroborate and underline that the road networks have a direct negative impact on the Rusty-spotted Cat’s movement between forest patches (Tehsin 1994; Rao et al. 1999; Nayak et al. 2017; Sharma & Dhakad 2020; Patel et al. 2024; Pawar et al. 2024). The existing road and railway networks and recent developments of expanding this linear infrastructure in Gujarat are significant emerging threats to wildlife (Vyas et al. 2023). Roads and railway tracks cutting through natural habitats form barriers to wildlife movements and thus disrupt populations of many species (Rajvanshi et al. 2001; Forman et al. 2003; Benítez-López et al. 2010; Barrientos & Borda-de-Água 2017; Thatte et al. 2020; Vyas et al. 2023). Therefore, we recommend giving special attention to maintaining and improving habitat connectivity between forest patches that are vital for the Rusty-spotted Cat and other species reliant on forests.

 

 

Table 1. Details of sightings of the Rusty-spotted Cat in the Asiatic Lion Landscape, Saurashtra Peninsula, Gujarat, India.

Date and time

Location

Coordinates

Habitat

Remarks

Observers

Live individuals in Gir Wildlife Sanctuary (WS)

10.i.2016, 1812 h

Near Sapnes, Jamvada-Dhari Road

21.176o N, 70.886o E

On a tree at edge of scrubland

Image 1A

D. Chauhan, Amit Vaghashiya

29.i.2021, 0325 h

Near Vaniya Vav

21.211o  N, 70.521o  E

Teak forest

Image 1B

Urmil Jhaveri

16.i.2023, 0237 h

Near Chika Kuva Camp, Jasadhar

21.018o  N, 71.066o  E

On a tree in a cropland

 

K. Sharma, M. Sondarva

Live individuals in Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary

3.iii.2016, 1830 h

Near 1000 Stairs

21.528o  N, 70.517o  E

Rocky scrub

Image 1C

Munir Jikani

9.viii.2016, 2200 h

Near Narayandhara

21.526o  N, 70.491o  E

Beside road

Image 2A

Ravi Patel

29.iii.2017, 0925 h

Girnar Top

21.527o  N, 70.533o  E

Rocky terrain

Image 2B

Kanbhai Jadav

16.xi.2022, 2328 h

Vagheswari Temple complex

21.522o  N, 70.477o  E

At forest edge

 

Vishvajitsinh Solanki

6.vi.2023, 0121 h

Girnar Top

21.528o  N, 70.533o  E

Rocky big boulders

 

Piyush Hirapara

Live individual in Paniya Wildlife Sanctuary

7.iv.2024, 0113 h

Amreli

21.194o  N, 70.885o  E

Mixed dry deciduous forest

Image 2C

Rajdeep Jhala

Live individuals in non-protected areas and revenue land

27.x.2018, 2300 h

Lal Dhori, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.537o  N, 70.503o  E

Near water body

Image 3A

P. Vaghashiya

15.v. 2019, 2357 h

Lal Dhori, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.536o  N, 70.503o  E

On a tree in a plantation

 

D. Chauhan, P. Vaghashiya

31.i.2020, 2304 h

Rupayatan, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.535o  N, 70.499o  E

On a tree in a forest

Image 3B

P. Vaghashiya

29.ix.2020, 0354 h

Ashok Shilalekh, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.525o  N, 70.479o  E

Outside a building at edge of scrub

 

Ankit Shukla

7.ii. 2021, 1730 h

Bamangaam Revenue, Junagadh

21.575o  N, 70.487o  E

In a bushland

Image 3C

Dipak Vadher

16.xi.2022, 2114 h

Anbabhagat-ni-Jagaya, Bhavnadh, Junagadh

21.531o  N, 70.498o  E

On a tree inside a settlement

Image 3D

D. Chauhan

11.ii.2023, 2034 h

Liliya-Haripura Road, Visavadar, Junagadh

21.276o  N, 70.611o  E

Near water body

 

D. Chauhan

16.xii.2023, 2345 h

Rupayatan Road, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.535o  N, 70.499o  E

On a tree

 

P. Vaghasiya

17.xii.2023, 0005 h

Khambha-Visavadar Road, Junagadh

21.264o  N, 70.654o  E

On a tree

Image 4A

D. Chauhan, A. Vaghashiya

4.i.2024, 1300 h

Dolatpura Revenue, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.553o  N, 70.473o  E

In a hedgerow at edge of a cropfield

Image 4B

Dipak Vadher

25.vi.2024, 2354 h

Lal Dhori, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.536o  N, 70.503o  E

On a creeper in a forest

Image 4C

D. Chauhan, P. Vaghashiya

2.ix.2024, 1955 h

Lal Dhori, Junagadh, edge of Girnar WS

21.536o  N, 70.500o  E

On a tree in a forest

Image 4D

P. Vaghashiya

Dead individuals

23.xii.2016, 0945 h

Near Jasadhar Naka, Gir WS

21.008o N, 71.056o  E

State highway

Image 5A

Bhavesh Trivedi

6.i.2018, 0622 h

Sasan Tourism Zone, Gir WS

21.121o  N, 70.356o  E

In a Lion’s mouth

Image 5B

Indranil Ghosh

6.iii.2022, 1842 h

Sapnes-Dhakaniya Road, Gir WS

21.180o  N, 70.889o  E

Village road

Image 5C

D. Chauhan, B. Dudhatra

10.iv.2022, 0422 h

Near Sasan Town, Gir WS

21.174o N, 70.587o E

Village road

Image 6A

Parth Aghera

18.i.2023, 0537 h

Near Panjaka, Bhavnadh, Girnar WS

21.526o N, 70.483o E

Village road

 

Ajay Sonimar

6.viii.2016, 1100 h

Nobel College, Bhesan Road, Junagadh

21.590o N, 70.497o E

Village road

Image 6B

A. & P. Vaghashiya

11.viii.2018, 1711 h

Dhari-Khambha Road, Khambha, Amreli

21.267o N, 71.129o E

State highway

Image 6C

Gaurang Bagda

5.xi.2018, 0952 h

Malanka Road, Mendarda, Junagadh

21.243o N, 70.508o E

State highway

 

P. Vaghashiya

9.iii.2022, 2035 h

Dhari-Dhakaniya Road, Dhari, Amreli

21.2550o N, 70.960o  E

State highway

 

Rajdeep Jhala

4.i.2023, 0924 h

Dhokadava-Una Road, Gir Gadhada, Gir Somnath

20.907o  N, 71.061o  E

State highway

Image 6D

Kaushal Sharma

 

For figures & images - - click here for full PDF

 

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