Small Cats Meow to Nobody’s Notice

Nothing exemplifies the saying “size does matter” in biology more explicitly than the conservation of wild cats. While big cat conservation garners all the attention and funding, small cats meow to nobody’s notice. This is, despite evidence that small felids play a pivotal role in India’s ecosystems by regulating prey populations, facilitating nutrient transfer, and safeguarding critical habitats. Against this backdrop, a new paper reviewing the ecology and current status of nine small felids in India is particularly pertinent. The research team collected and reviewed 938 publications, from 1972 to 2022, on the nine small cat species found in India.

One of the authors and PhD scholar at the University of Wyoming, Kathan Bandyopadhyay, says that a lack of data and biased sampling protocols significantly impede the accurate estimation of the status of small cats, such as their occupancy, population density, and abundance. This, in turn, could hinder effective conservation decisions. He highlights this as the reason why only nine of the 11 small cat species found in India have been included in the review. “Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul) and the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) are not included in our manuscripts due to the paucity of comprehensive data regarding their distribution, ecology, and range parameters,” he informs Mongabay-India via an email.

He emphasises the importance of robust ecological data on the species and integrating this data into conservation frameworks. Additionally, he highlights international collaboration as an expected outcome of the review in the conservation of the small felid populations in the country.

The review paper is a timely aggregation of information and a comprehensive analysis of the current status of small cats, according to research scientist at the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s Tiger Cell, Ayan Sadhu. “The paper may not be saying anything that’s not already known to researchers, but the review has come at the right time when discussions around mesopredators like small cats are gathering pace,” Sadhu says.

Dogs, cats, poaching threaten small cats

Researchers observe that free-ranging dogs and domestic cats pose new and evolving threats to small felid populations. While dogs pose a direct threat to their lives and compete for food resources, hybridisation with domestic cats leads to the loss of genetic traits in the wild population, substantially reducing the adaptability and resilience of wild cats to their natural environment. Sadhu agrees, saying that feral dog populations can be “killing machines”, harming small cat species and posing unbeatable competition for resources. Bandyopadhyay points out the possibility of introduction of diseases and parasites from domestic cats to wild populations via hybridisation which can compromise the health of their population.

Wildlife trade and harvesting for bushmeat have also emerged as significant concerns in the review. Human-induced adult mortality, such as poisoning and road kills, is non-compensatory. “The seizure of small cat items peaked in the early 1980s but has declined since the 1990s. Notably, there have been no recorded seizures of small cats originating from India in the last 25 years. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that not all instances of illegal small cat trade are reported, and some may occur as by-catch,” Bandyopadhyay shares.

Habitat fragmentation driven by anthropogenic interventions such as linear infrastructure development and agricultural intensification are other serious threats to the diminishing population of small felids. A good example is the caracal (Caracal caracal), the most endangered small cat in India which is believed to have become locally extirpated (eradicated) from the Sariska Tiger Reserve and adjacent areas along the Chambal river, including Kuno National Park and Madhav National Park, as per camera trap data. “The development of highways in caracal habitats in Kutch and Rajasthan has significantly contributed to their population declines,” he says.

Big cats don’t save small cats

According to the global assessment by IUCN, 78% of the small felids in India show a declining trend, despite the fact that some amount of protection was achieved through large carnivore conservation. Researchers maintain that conservation actions targeting large carnivores such as tigers and leopards do not necessarily address the specific needs of small wild cats. “Each small cat is a unique species with distinct habitats,” Sadhu says. He informs that the focus on big cat conservation potentially helps only one or two small cat species with similar habitats such as leopard cats or jungle cats and suggests habitat-specific conservation plans for each species. The researchers also highlight the need to extend protection outside protected area networks and to open natural ecosystems such as grasslands, scrublands, etc.

The paper suggests an imminent need to encourage community participation in conservation and strengthening anti-poaching measures, particularly in the border areas of northern, northeastern, and western India which are vital to curb illegal hunting and trade. “Providing incentives for conservation-friendly practices, such as ecotourism and sustainable agriculture, can foster coexistence between humans and wildlife,” Bandyopadhyay says. Other suggestions include intensifying research and monitoring efforts to fill knowledge gaps and enhance the fine-scale ecological understanding of small felids.

Measures to conserve

The government of India, in collaboration with international funding agencies, has initiated projects aimed at conserving the habitats and populations of wild cats, addressing human-wildlife conflict, and curbing poaching and illegal trade, Bandyopadhyay shares. “These projects represent a significant step forward and demonstrate a commitment to preserving India’s diverse wildlife,” he says. However, additional measures such as strict enforcement of wildlife protection laws are suggested to augment the efforts.

“It is necessary to form international alliances with countries where small cat range is vital to address transboundary conservation challenges. This collaboration can involve sharing resources, knowledge, technical assistance, capacity building, advocacy, and financial support, thereby enhancing the overall efficacy of small felid conservation efforts,” he says.

Researchers say that conservation of small cats in India necessitates a multi-faceted approach that includes legal protection, research, public awareness, and international collaboration. “With appropriate policy changes and interventions, India can ensure the survival and flourishing of these vital ecosystem members. Immediate action is required to prevent these small but significant creatures from becoming mere footnotes in India’s wildlife history,” Bandyopadhyay says.

This story was first published on Mongabay India