3 weeks ago
Rusty-spotted cat roadkills recorded at Chambal Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh
There is a tiny wild cat called the rusty-spotted cat.
It is the smallest wild cat in the whole world.
It lives in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
It is only about half the size of a pet cat.
Scientists found two of these tiny cats that had been hit by vehicles on roads.
The cats were found at the National Chambal Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh, India.
This was the first time the cat was seen in that part of the state.
The little cat hunts mostly at night, so drivers often cannot see it in time.
Roads are dangerous for small animals, and scientists believe many more go unnoticed.
To help, scientists suggest speed awareness, wildlife signs, and special crossings under or over roads.
Scientists recorded two rusty-spotted cat roadkill incidents at the National Chambal Sanctuary in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh.
The records are the first documented occurrence of the species in southern Uttar Pradesh, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa in May.
The rusty-spotted cat, native to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, is widely recognised as the world's smallest wild cat species.
Nine roadkill records came from Gujarat's Saurashtra Peninsula (2016-2024), four from Rajasthan (2000-2020), and one from Nepal.
Experts say roadkill data for the nocturnal cat is underreported and call for mitigation measures such as wildlife signposts, crossings and monitored hotspots.
- Who
- Scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India, including Vishnupriya Kolipakam, along with Shomita Mukherjee of SACON.
- What
- Two roadkill records of the rusty-spotted cat, the first documented occurrence of the species in southern Uttar Pradesh.
- Where
- National Chambal Sanctuary, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- When
- Research published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa in May; one roadkill was spotted on March 14, 2025.
- Why
- The records highlight how roads threaten small nocturnal carnivores and that roadkill data for the species is heavily underreported.
Key facts
- Species
- Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
- Distinction
- World's smallest wild cat species
- Size
- 38-45 cm body length; 1-2 kg weight
- Native range
- India, Nepal, Sri Lanka
- Location of records
- National Chambal Sanctuary, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh
- Publication
- Journal of Threatened Taxa (May)
- Other roadkill records
- 9 in Gujarat (2016-2024), 4 in Rajasthan (2000-2020), 1 in Nepal
Quotes
Vishnupriya Kolipakam
Wildlife Institute of India scientist and paper author
“"Roads that are especially risk-prone for small carnivores should be identified through studies and regularly monitored for roadkills," she said.”
scroll.in
“"Small cats suffer due to their size and nocturnal habits, which makes detection by drivers difficult," she said.”
scroll.in









