First photographic record of marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata Martin, 1837 (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) in Nepal

• Published in: Nature Conservation Vol. 32; pp. 19 - 34
• Main Authors: Lama, Sonam Tashi, Ross, James G., Bista, Damber, Sherpa, Ang Phuri, Regmi, Ganga Ram, Suwal, Madan Krishna, Sherpa, Pema, Weerman, Janno, Shrestha Lama, Shrota, Thapa, Madhuri, Poudyal, Laxman Prasad, Paterson, Adrian M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sofia Pensoft Publishers 2019
• Subjects: Animal behavior; Bovidae; Cameras; Conservation; Pardofelis marmorata; Prionailurus bengalensis; Species; Sympatric populations; Wildlife conservation; Nepal
• ISSN: 1314-6947; 1314-3301
• DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.32.29740

The marbled cat
Pardofelismarmorata
is a Near Threatened small felid. The cat’s presence in Nepal is based on an anecdote. A camera trap-based study to access diversity and abundance of terrestrial mammals in eastern Nepal accumulated 3,014 camera trap days and resulted in 5,176 photographs of 17 medium-large sized mammal species. Amongst them, a marbled cat was captured at a single camera trap station in January 2018. The camera trap-capturing the marbled cat was located in the secondary forest at an altitude of 2,750 m a.s.l., dominated by free-ranging cattle close to a permanent human settlement (1.4 km) and a temporary cattle herding camp (0.4 km). This is the first photographic evidence of a marbled cat in Nepal. In this survey, we also recorded three other felid species: common leopard
Pantherapardus
, Asiatic golden-cat
Catopumatemminckii
and leopard cat
Prionailurusbengalensis
. We recommend detailed year-round camera trap surveys in the mid-hills of eastern Nepal along with research on adaptation of the small felids to human-dominated areas and assessment of immediate threats for preparing sound conservation management plans of the marbled cat and its sympatric species. Initiation of conservation programmes engaging local
dokpa
(herders) is necessary.