In  News:

=> An Indian desert cat has been spotted for the first time in Madhya Pradesh’s Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR).

• The presence of a desert cat was also recorded in the State’s Nauradehi sanctuary.

About Indian Desert Cat:

=> The Indian Desert Cat is also known as the Asiatic Wildcat or the Asian Steppe Wildcat.

=> Scientific Name: Felis lybica .

=> Description:

• It is smaller than the European wildcat and its fur is more yellow or reddish in colour with characteristic small black or reddish-brown spots and sometimes stripes.
• The toes of the species have cushion-like hair which helps them balance the fluctuating desert temperatures.

=> Distribution:

• This cat is found in deserts and can survive without water.
• It is widely distributed from the Caucasus and Turkey to western India, northward to Kazakhstan, western China and southern Mongolia.

=> Conservation Status: The wildcat (including Felis silvestris and Felis lybica) is considered as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.