Caracal! I shouted. As the dust ruffled by four wheels suddenly braking started to settle down, the form of a cat started to appear. It was a really big small cat. Saturated tawny in coloration, it seemed least worried about the visitors. For a brief few seconds, I was elated at having encountered (entirely by accident and with truckloads of luck) a possible lifer! It had been a long afternoon looking for wildlife in the outskirts of Bikaner in Rajasthan. And as the sun started sinking towards the horizon, this was a wonderful way to end the day.
The camera revealed much smaller eyes than that of a Caracal, with a very different face. It was a Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) staring back at me. The largest individual I’ve even seen. Or imagined! The broken branch that arched over the cat enhanced the regality of its pose. And the soft sidelight at sunset was a photographer’s delight.
A Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) shows up in the last light of the day!
From time to time, people walking home through the area would send the cat scurrying into its den. Only to come back up from a different exit and relax on the mound.
I’ve read about Jungle Cats varying in size through their distribution, becoming much smaller in their eastern ranges possibly due to competition from Fishing Cats. But this one was definitely the largest individual that I’ve ever seen. My location expert at Bikaner told me that there were 2 large individuals that area – an almost flat grassland with plenty of berry trees. One evening, my friend had seen a Jungle Cat spar with a fully grown Golden Jackal. And he says they almost matched each other in size!
After almost 20 minutes of giving us the most amazing sighting of the day, the cat decided to disappear into the darkness that was engulfing the landscape.
Darter Photography conducts regular wildlife photography tours to Tal Chapar and Bikaner. On these tours, we explore the amazing diversity of birds and mammals in the Thar Desert. With over a decade of traveling to this amazing desert ecosystem, our photography mentor will help you in exploring the rare wildlife, understanding the ecosystem and, of course, make memorable photographs.