Diet of Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai, India

Abstract

The 103.68 km2 Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Mumbai, exists amidst human densities that figure among the highest in the world. The rich biodiversity of SGNP includes the Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus, endemic to India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, and categorised as ‘Near Threatened’ on the IUCN Red List. Little is known about its ecology and the dynamics of its coexistence with the other small carnivores in SGNP. We conducted a study with citizen volunteers to explore the diet of the Rusty-spotted Cat and other sympatric small carnivores in SGNP and in the adjoining human-dominated areas of Yeur village, Shivaji Nagar, Dahisar Quarry, and Aarey Milk Colony. After initial training, the volunteers collected scat samples from all forest ranges in SGNP and the surrounding areas outside, following defined protocols. Seventy-eight scat samples were analysed for species assignments using standardised molecular techniques, felid-specific primers, and DNA sequencing, and 24 were identified as of the Rusty-spotted Cat. The contents of the samples were examined under a microscope to identify prey remains. Results were presented as the mean number of scat samples containing remains of specific taxa with 95% Confidence Intervals. Diet estimated from 22 Rusty-spotted Cat scat samples and 52 samples of other small carnivores revealed rodents to be the major prey of the entire group. However, a higher proportion of Rusty-spotted Cat scat samples had remains of rodents (95%) and reptiles (6%) as compared to samples of other small carnivores, i.e., 79% with rodent remains and none with remains of reptiles. On the other hand, a lower proportion of Rusty-spotted Cat scat samples had remains of insects (14%), plant matter (9%), and birds (5%) than samples of other small carnivores (40% plant matter, 38% insects, 17% birds). Our results highlight the role of small carnivores, especially Rusty-spotted Cat in regulatory services through pest control.