Indore News: ‘Don't Be Deceived, Jungle Cat Paws Often Pass For Leopard In Litter’

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Jungle cat paw prints are often mistaken for leopard tracks on soft soil or leaf litter, as they can appear deceptively large. This was shared by DFO Indore Pradeep Mishra, IFS, during the first day of Indore Forest Division’s pre-AITE mock exercise on Thursday. Mishra explained that confusion also arises because both species are nocturnal and elusive, leaving partial or faint pugmarks that are difficult to interpret.

Mishra shared that leopard front-paw width ranges 7.5–9.5 cm, round and clawless, while Jungle Cat tracks measure 3–4 cm, smaller, lighter, and oval-shaped. He added that heel-pad breadth, toe spacing, and depth of impression are key indicators for accurate field identification.

He shared these details during first-day sessions, where staff were trained to:

• Measure paw size and heel-pad structure to confirm species

• Analyse stride length, gait, and substrate effects

• Distinguish fresh from old sign using edge sharpness and moisture

• Examine kill sites for bite marks, drag patterns, and feeding behaviour

• Record all observations on M-STrIPES with geo-referenced accuracy

Mishra also shared guidance on differentiating other carnivores often confused in Indore landscapes:

• Leopard vs striped hyena: Hyena tracks show claw marks, elongated and asymmetrical; leopard tracks are round and clawless

• Jackal vs jungle cat: Jackal tracks are larger, clawed, elongated; jungle cat tracks are smaller, round, and clawless

• Wolf vs hyena: Wolf tracks are narrower, symmetrical, clawed; hyena tracks are broader and asymmetrical

He emphasised that confusion occurs due to overlapping habitats, similar-sized paw impressions in soft soil, and faint or partial tracks, and shared techniques to avoid misidentification.

Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) supported the training, while Indore forest division ensured adherence to NTCA–WII protocols and standardised scientific methods.

Next steps

Day 2 of the mock exercise on December 12 will focus on herbivore assessment, including prey estimation and habitat-condition recording.