Relevance: GS III (Environment & Biodiversity) | Source: The Hindu 

1. What is the News? 

• Scientists have finally counted India’s Jungle Cats for the first time. There are roughly 3 lakh of them in the country.
• The Problem: The government spends most of its money protecting big animals (like tigers) inside deep, guarded National Parks. 
• However, these highly useful small cats live outside the jungles in our open farmlands, where no one protects them.

2. Know the Jungle Cat 

• Where do they live? They actually dislike thick, dark forests. They love open areas like farm fields, grasslands, and bushes.
• Top States: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Odisha.
• Protection Status: * IUCN Red List: Listed as ‘Least Concern’ (meaning they are not going extinct immediately, but their numbers are silently falling).
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Listed under Schedule II (Hunting or killing them is a strict crime).

3. Why do we need them? 

• Free Pest Control: Jungle cats are the Indian farmer’s best friend. Because they live near agricultural fields, they hunt and eat rats and mice every night. This saves thousands of tons of crops from being destroyed by rodents.

4. What are their Biggest Threats? 

Because they live near human villages and not inside safe National Parks, they face huge dangers:

• Highway Accidents: Speeding cars and trucks on new highways frequently crush these nocturnal (night-roaming) cats.
• The Stray Dog Problem: Village street dogs are a massive threat. They hunt the cats, spread deadly diseases, and steal the cat’s hunted food.
• Mixing with House Cats: There is a big risk of wild jungle cats mating with normal domestic street cats. Over time, this will wipe out their pure wild bloodline.

5. The Solution

• When building new highways through farming areas, the government must build small “underpasses” (tunnels) so these small animals can cross the road safely, just like we do for elephants in the forests.

The “UPSC Trap”

• The “Endangered” Trap: A statement might claim they are “Critically Endangered” because of habitat loss. Incorrect. They are officially listed as ‘Least Concern’.

UPSC Value Box

With reference to the Jungle Cat found in India, consider the following statements:

1. Its primary natural habitat consists of dense, closed-canopy tropical forests.
2. It plays a highly useful role in agricultural areas by naturally controlling the rat and mice population.
3. It is currently classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)