The forested hills of Shirui have yielded a remarkable wildlife surprise, with the elusive Asian golden cat (Catopuma temminckii) recorded for the first time in Manipur through a camera trap installed in Shirui village of Ukhrul district.
The discovery, documented by ENFOGAL (Environmental Force at Grass Root Level), marks a significant milestone in the documentation of Manipur’s biodiversity and brings fresh attention to the ecological richness of the Shirui Hills.
The Asian golden cat, classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, is a secretive wild feline found across forest ecosystems in South and Southeast Asia. Its elusive nature and ability to remain concealed in dense vegetation make camera-trap monitoring an important tool for documenting its presence.
The Shirui record offers fresh evidence of the wildlife diversity hidden within Ukhrul’s forest landscape. However, the discovery alone does not establish the size of the local population or confirm whether the species has a stable breeding population in the area. Further camera-trap surveys and ecological studies will be needed to determine its distribution and habitat use.
The finding also underscores the importance of protecting the region’s forest habitats and wildlife corridors from disturbance. Sustained monitoring and community participation will be essential to understanding the species’ presence and identifying measures needed to safeguard its habitat.
For ENFOGAL, the record highlights the contribution of grassroots wildlife monitoring to documenting species that might otherwise remain undetected. It could also provide a valuable starting point for further research and conservation planning in the Shirui Hills.
The appearance of the rare feline in the camera-trap record adds a new dimension to the natural heritage of Ukhrul, underscoring how much remains to be documented in Manipur’s forests. The challenge now is to build on this discovery through scientific investigation and sustained habitat protection.