For the first time in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) and Haryana, a rusty-spotted cat – the world’s smallest wild cat – has been photographed with its kitten in Faridabad’s Kot village, confirming breeding activity in the region. The adult and its dependent young were spotted during routine field surveys by a team of researchers monitoring mammalian diversity.
The researchers, including wildlife photographer Yatin Verma, have been conducting observations since August 2022. On September 16, 2023, they documented a rusty-spotted cat, Prionailurus rubiginosus, perched on a False Ashoka tree, a common ornamental species found in gardens and along settlements. Before this, only four to five opportunistic sightings had been reported from different parts of Delhi-NCR, with none establishing breeding.
