1) Why in the news

A landmark wildlife survey by WWF-India has photographed the Pallas’s cat for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh. This small wild cat was captured on camera in the high-altitude rangelands of West Kameng and Tawang, showing that its range in the eastern Himalaya is wider than previously known. Earlier, confirmed records were only from Sikkim, Bhutan, and eastern Nepal.

2) Where and how the survey was done

Researchers used a large camera-trap grid to search rocky, cold habitats where small cats are hard to spot.

• 136 camera traps at 83 locations
• Coverage of about 2,000 square kilometres in West Kameng and Tawang
• Photos confirmed Pallas’s cat and five other wild cat species at very high elevations (above 4,200 metres)

Why this matters: Such a wide, systematic effort gives credible evidence of species presence, helps map habitats, and guides future protection in sensitive alpine areas.

3) Meet the Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul): ID and ecology

A small, elusive wild cat from Central and South-Central Asia, perfectly suited to cold, dry, rocky places.

How to recognise it

• Dense, long greyish fur for camouflage and warmth
• Rounded pupils and low-set ears that give a flat-faced look
• Stocky build, short legs; often uses rock crevices and rodent burrows

Lifestyle in short

• Prefers open, treeless slopes and windswept plateaus
• Lives high—often 4,000–5,000 metres, sometimes more
• Feeds mainly on pikas, voles, and other small mammals; also ground birds

4) Where it lives and how it is protected

Distribution (big picture): From parts of Iran across the Himalaya, Tibetan Plateau, Mongolia and neighbouring regions.

Conservation status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern (but with declining and patchy populations in many areas)
• CITES (trade treaty): Appendix II (regulated international trade)

Key threats

• Poaching (for fur and body parts)
• Prey decline (fall in pika and rodent numbers)
• Habitat fragmentation from roads, power lines, mining and other infrastructure
• Disturbance from tourism and free-ranging dogs

5) What else the survey found (new elevation records)

Along with the Pallas’s cat, the survey documented five other wild cat species above 4,200 metres:

• Snow Leopard
• Clouded Leopard — new India elevation record ~4,650 m
• Common Leopard — new India elevation record ~4,600 m
• Leopard Cat
• Marbled Cat — new India elevation record ~4,326 m

Bonus high records: Himalayan Wood Owl and Grey-headed Flying Squirrel were also recorded at unusually high sites.

Why this matters: These elevations show that several carnivores and forest species are using alpine and sub-alpine belts more than we assumed, likely following prey, habitat shifts, or seasonal use.

6) What the discovery means for conservation

For science and policy

• Update species maps for the eastern Himalaya; mark core habitats and movement corridors.
• Put high-altitude rangelands of West Kameng and Tawang on priority planning lists.

For local action

• Limit disturbance near camera-confirmed sites: manage off-road travel, camping, and night lighting.
• Wildlife-friendly infrastructure: avoid blasting during key seasons; bury or reroute cables; fence safely; keep dog control measures near villages and camps.
• Prey protection: conserve pika and small-mammal habitats; control toxic baiting.
• Community partnerships: train local youth as eco-guards, promote homestays and nature guiding that reward protection.

Bottom line: With clear data and careful planning, India can safeguard a unique high-mountain carnivore guild, not just one species.

Prelims Practice (MCQ)

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul):

1. It is native to Central Asia and adapted to cold, arid, high-altitude habitats.
2. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
3. The species was recently photographed for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh at an altitude of about 4,200 metres.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: b) 1 and 3 only
Why: (1) Correct — native to Central/South-Central Asia and adapted to cold, arid, high altitudes. (2) Incorrect — IUCN lists it as Least Concern (with local declines). (3) Correct — first photographic record in Arunachal Pradesh at about 4,200 m.

One-line wrap:
First photos in Arunachal push India’s conservation map higher into the alpine zone—a timely chance to protect Pallas’s cat and its high-mountain neighbours.