A Lynx like cat seen in Sopore
Posted by Anjum Andrabi on March 19th, 2009
The Lynx is a critically endangered member of the cat family. It is found in parts of Asia, Europe, and North America. Unlike its cousins, the tigers, lions and leopards, a Lynx is comparatively small.
The animal in these pictures resembles a Lynx in its appearance. It was found lying injured and unconscious in a village near Sopore 35 miles north-west of Srinagar. A vet Dr. Mir Wahid Ahmad Nazki tried to revive the animal but because of injuries received on its skull, the animal died shortly.
Dr. Nazki who is a keen wildlife enthusiast immediately identified the animal as the endangered Lynx. It is relevant to mention here that no report of a Lynx sighting has even been officially made in the Kashmir valley. It’s only in the north-eastern region of Ladakh (especially Nubra Valley) that Lynx are seen. However, Dr. Nazki is very confident of his conclusion and has no doubts over the animal being a Lynx. According to him the cat which weighed up to 4 Kg’s was a juvenile which might have accidently strayed in to the village.
We are publishing the pictures here and hope our readers can confirm whether the animal is a Lynx or not. If it is, as Dr. Wahid Nazki claims, it gives hope to the conservation efforts and future of this rare and threatened specie of cats. Maybe nature is giving us another chance to protect this beautiful animal.
Dr. Wahid Nazki
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:38 pm
It’s a Jungle Cat, Felis Chaus, also known sometimes as the ‘Swamp Lynx’. The particular subspecies in Kashmir is given the scientific name of Felis Chaus Affinis. For more you can visit: http://www.ofcats.com/2007/12/jungle-cat.html
All the best with your veterinary research and conservation work for the wildlife.
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:31 pm
I think ofcats.com is right in describing the cat as Felis Chaus Affinis
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Who knows? One fine morning, some of our friends might come up with a dead body of a lion.
Jokes aside, there is a common jungle cat found in our part of Kashmir known as “chitre-broar” in our Kashmiri language but it is having a fur just like a leopard and this picture as claimed by Dr.Wahid Nazki is phenotypically totally different to that.
I think we must confess to the ofcats.com opinion and if you have more opinions, better go for it.
March 24th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
No second thought, the I have seen the pics on the link the animal is a Junle Cat “Felis chaus” commonly seen in the neighborhod of settlements in Kahmir valley.
March 25th, 2009 at 1:22 am
In my opinion the cat in the pictures without doubt is that of the Jungle cat (Felis chaus). I had the fortune to hand-rear a juvenile cat during my masters program in Assam while working for my research on wild carnivores. But it will be safe not to presume its proper taxonomical nomenclature unless certified by one who is a leading expert in the field. I strongly suggest that zoologist from Kashmir University would be be helpful. For authentic identification you should contact the experts from ZOOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA, Kolkotta and/or from BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Mumbai. The jungle cat is also sometimes called a swamp lynx (not very closely related though) because of its resemblance and may be mistaken for one. If you find it worth reporting ‘a first sighting’ of the species please get it identified properly. I do hope you have kept some sample specimens like hide, skin, etc. I congratulate you once again for your efforts and mostly to Dr. Nazki who happened to have made the discovery.
Please keep us updated on any further developments.
Dr. Nawab Nashiruddullah
Associate Professor
Division of Veterinary Pathology
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology- Jammu
Ranbir Singh Pura, Jammu-181102
Jammu & Kashmir, India
March 25th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Hello i strongly believe that this small cat like animal is actually Lynx as i had gone through literature regarding fur animals during PG programme. I belive we should make a collective effort to conserve this creature.
Thankyou
March 26th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
The animal you have been misidentifying as Lynx is actually the Jungle cat which is very common in our neigbourhoods. The lynx is distributed in the transHimalayan Biogeographich regions of Ladakh. As such there is no reason to beleive or misidentify the jungle cat with the Lynx which does not have the distribution in our valley plains. However, I would suggest that if you still have the animal in posession do take its skin and hair samples for its phyllogenetic analysis through me.
With best wishes
Dr. Khursheed Ahmad
Assistant Professor (Wildlife Management) Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry S.K. University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir Shuhama (Alusteng) 1900 06, Srinagar, Kashmir, J & K, India.
July 3rd, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Dear sir,
Yesterday and the day before, 1 & 2 July 2010, I saw or a Jungle cat, or a Lynx in our garden on the eiland where I live in Dal Lake Srinagar It was very scary and dangerous because it took first one of our chickens and the next day another bird which was very near to us. We are afraid that it will also take little children when they are playing on the grass.
Please inform me what to do. Who else can I inform to take any action before it is too late?
Kind regards,
Bashir Ahmad Jalla
September 16th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
it look like a liynx but it could be a big house cat
October 3rd, 2010 at 2:53 am
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December 2nd, 2012 at 1:17 am
What an idiot veterinarian. Since when did lynx start having long tails, any amateur wildlife enthusiast would know that they have a stubbed tail, and this vet calls himself a wildlife enthusiast.