Cats are among the most admired creatures on the planet. They evolved over the last 40 million years and today there are more than three dozen species of cats in the world. Some of the most common and visible features of cats are round heads with short muzzles, lean and slender bodies and erect ears. They have great senses of sight and hearing and a reasonably good sense of smell. Many cat species across the world are nocturnal, all of them are carnivores and most are ambush hunters. Almost all modern cat species have retractable claws that go back into the sheaths.
Cat family is represented in Corbett Tiger Reserve by six species that include Tiger and Leopard (large cats) and Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Fishing Cat and Rusty Spotted Cat (small cats).
Tiger is the most commonly seen cat of Corbett Tiger Reserve where there are more than 250 of them as per the last count. This is the biggest population of wild tigers found in any tiger reserve across the distribution range of the species. Our naturalist Jeewan Rautela came across this well-fed tiger that was taking a stroll in a patch of jungle close to Jim’s Jungle Retreat.
A tiger taking a stroll
