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Source: DowntoEarth
What is the news?
The common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) has been sighted in Odisha’s Satkosia Tiger Reserve after 129 years.
Common palm civet
- It is also known as Asian palm civet or Indian palm civet.
- A partial albino common palm civet, Saliapatani, was last sighted in 1891 in the forests of Kandhamal district.
- Albinism is a hypo-pigmentary disorder with a total lack of both melanins in hair, eyes and skin due to the heritable absence of functional tyrosinase enzyme in pigment cells affecting skin and hair. This resulting in a total white plumage / fur with red eyes. Albinism is controlled via inheritance by an autosomal recessive gene in all animal species
- The common palm civet is a small mammal belonging to the family Viverridae.
- It is thought to lead a solitary lifestyle, except for brief periods during mating.
- It is both terrestrial and arboreal, and shows a nocturnal activity pattern.
- Habitat: It can be found in southern and southeastern Asia.
- Conservation status:
- IUCN Red list = Least Concern (LC)
- Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972 = Schedule II
- CITES = Appendix III
| Also Read: Classifications under IUCN red list, CITES & India’s Wildlife Protection Act 1972 |
Satkosia Tiger Reserve
- Satkosia was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1976. It is spread along the magnificent gorge over the mighty river Mahanadi in Odisha.
- The name Satkosia originates from two words; sat meaning seven and kos meaning two miles, indicating the length of the gorge as 14 miles or 22 km.
- The area was declared as Satkosia Tiger Reserve in 2007, comprising two adjoining wildlife sanctuaries; the Satkosia Gorge sanctuary and Baisipalli sanctuary. The Reserve is spread over 4 districts like; Angul, Cuttack, Nayagarh and Boudh.
- Core area of the reserve is also a part of the Mahanadi elephant reserve. Satkosia is the meeting point of two bio-geographic regions of India; the Deccan Peninsula and the Eastern Ghats, contributing immense biodiversity.
- Species found: The area of Satkosia Tiger Reserve supports moist deciduous forest, dry deciduous forest and moist peninsular Sal forest.
- This area is the home for Tiger, Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Spotted deer, Mouse deer, Nilgai, Chousingha, Sloth bear, Wild dog etc.
- Varieties of resident and migratory birds, reptilian species( Gharial, Magar, Crocodile, Fresh Water turtle, Poisons & Non poisons snakes etc.)
- The Forest Department of the Government of Orissa with technical support from the UNDP and FAO decided to start a breeding programme of crocodiles during March 1974. As a part of this joint conservation initiative, the Gharial Research and Conservation Unit (GRACU) was started during March 1975.
