Meet the rusty-spotted cat - World's smallest wild cat that rewrote West Bengal's wildlife history this year. This tiny phantom weighs less than 2 pounds but hunts like a pro!
In Early January, on a quiet night in Purulia, West Bengal, a pair of glowing eyes flashed past a camera trap meant for pangolins. That single frame revealed something never seen here before — India’s tiniest wild cat.
The camera belonged to HEAL — Human and Environment Alliance League. Their project was focused on pangolins near the Jharkhand border, but nature surprised them with the first-ever proof of a Rusty-Spotted Cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) in West Bengal. 5: Smaller than a poultry egg at birth. And Barely 1.6 kg as an adult — lighter than your pet cat! But don’t be fooled by its size.
Smaller than a poultry egg at birth. And Barely 1.6 kg as an adult — lighter than your pet cat! But don’t be fooled by its size.
By day, it hides in tree hollows or caves. By night, it becomes a fierce hunter! With eyesight 6x sharper than humans, it can take down prey three times its size — rodents, birds, even snakes!
Why is this sighting historic? Because even British-era records never mentioned this cat in Bengal. For decades, locals spoke only of jungle cats and jackals. No one knew this phantom prowled their forests — until now.
India harbours 80% of the world’s Rusty-Spotted Cats, found only in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. With this sighting, West Bengal now counts nine wildcat species, from majestic leopards to this tiny, elusive hunter.
The discovery signals healthy forests. Rusty-spotted cats help control rodents, protect bird nests, and feed larger carnivores.
But these cats are under threat. Habitat loss from roads and development. Pesticides poisoning farmlands. Roadkill wiping out individuals before we even get to study them. Their IUCN status? Near Threatened.
Wildlife SOS, RESQ Charitable Trust, Big Cat Rescue, and the Rusty-Spotted Cat Working Group (India, Nepal & Sri Lanka) are working to protect, rescue, and rehabilitate these elusive cats.
From the Bengal Tiger to the tiniest wild cat — India’s forests are full of wonders we’re only beginning to see. Thanks to HEAL’s accidental discovery, Bengal now has a new symbol of its wild heritage.