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Source:-This post has been created based on the article “Two new mammalian species added to Kaziranga’s fauna” published in “The Hindu” on 21 January 2024.
Why in the news?
Elusive binturong and the small-clawed otter have recently been added to the list of mammals in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.
About the Binturong
| Aspect | Details |
| About | The binturong, is also known as bearcat. It is native to South and Southeast Asia. |
| Characteristics | Size-The binturong is long and heavy, with short, stout legs. The binturong is one of only two carnivores that has a prehensile tail. (The other is the kinkajou). A prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has adapted to grasp or hold objects Family-It belongs to the same family as other small carnivores including Civets, Genets, Mongooses, and Fossa Behaviour- The binturong is active during the day and at night. Diet-The binturong is omnivorous which feeds on small mammals, birds, fish, earthworms, insects and fruits. |
| Conservation status | IUCN: Vulnerable Wildlife Protection Act of 1972: Schedule I CITES: Appendix III |
| Population Distribution | China, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and on the island of Borneo. |
| Threats | It is threatened by habitat loss due to logging and agribusiness, especially the oil palm industry. It is also hunted for bushmeat, traditional medicine and the pet trade. |
About Small-clawed otter
| Aspect | Detail |
| About | The Small-Clawed otter is also known as Asian small clawed otter/Oriental Small Clawed Otter. The small-clawed otter is an otter species native to South and Southeast Asia. |
| Characteristics | Size-Body length-730 to 960 mm and maximum weight can be 5kg. It has short claws that do not extend beyond the pads of its webbed digits. It is the smallest otter species in the world. Behaviour-It is nocturnal in nature as it is mostly active after the dark. Diet-It feeds mainly on crabs, mudskippers and Trichogaster fish. |
| Conservation status | IUCN: Vulnerable Wildlife Protection Act of 1972: Schedule I CITES: Appendix I |
| Population Distribution | South East Asian Distribution- The Asian small-clawed otter’s native range comprises parts of India to Southeast Asia, including the islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo and Palawan. India- It is mainly found in West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and in coastal regions of Odisha and Karnataka. It is also found in the Nilgiri and Palni hills in Tamil Nadu. |
| Threats | Habitat destruction, deforestation, illegal pet trade etc. |
Kaziranga national park
Location– Located in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India.
Legal status– It is a national park as well as tiger reserve.
International recognition– It is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Important species– It has ‘big four’ species— Rhino, Elephant, Royal Bengal tiger and Asiatic water buffalo.
UPSC SYLLABUS-ENVIRONMENT (Species in News)
