Jungle Cat (Felis chaus)
Habitat: Wetland; shrub and grassland; deciduous forest; dry, sandy deserts and sparsely vegetated steppes; around human settlements with sufficient vegetation cover
Appearance: Weight: 4 to 16 kg; Length: 59 to 76 cm; Sandy brown, reddish or grey coat; Male cats are usually larger.
Behavior: Mostly solitary and nocturnal (active during night time).
Breeding: Attain sexual maturity during 11 to 18 months; Breeding season during October (India) and January to February (Central Asia); give birth from 1 to 6 kittens.
Diet: Small mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes. Scavenge on kills of larger predators.
Longevity: 12 years
Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)
Habitat: Inhabits temperate and tropical forests; found in parks, suburban gardens, plantations, and fruit orchards.
Appearance: Length: 42 to 69 cm; Weight: 3 to 4 kg; Nose is pointed and protrudes from their small face. Body color varies from rich cream to brownish black or even Jet black. They can be recognized by the dark stripes down their back and the three rows of black spots freckled on each side of their body and covering their legs
Diet: Omnivorous. Feeds on plants (seeds, grains, and nuts, fruit, nectar, flowers, sap or other plant fluids) and animals like birds, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, eggs, insects, terrestrial non-insect arthropods, mollusks, terrestrial worms.
Breeding: Sexually receptive all year with an average estrous cycle of about 82 days; Typically have up to two litters per year.
Longevity: 15 – 20 years
Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica)
Habitat: Found in tropical and temperate scrublands, grasslands, and forests. They are Semi – fossorial lives in natural caves or in excavated burrows
Appearance: Length: 70-90 cm with the tail adding an additional 8-10 cm. Spines vary in length, with the neck and shoulder quills being the longest, measuring 15 to 30 cm.
Diet: Mainly feed on vegetable material of all kinds, including fruits, grains, and roots; Also been known to chew on bones, in search of minerals (such as calcium) that help their spines grow.
Breeding: Gestation lasts about 240 days. Brood size varies, ranging from 2 to 4 offspring per year. Young are born with their eyes open, and the body is covered by short soft quills.
Longevity: 27 years (Captivity)
Bonnet Macaque (Macaca radiata)
Habitat: Inhabit variety of habitats including Urban and rural areas, deciduous forest, and scrub. Live as commensals with humans and are most abundant on the outskirts of human settlements
Appearance: Body weight: 4- 9kg, Length: 35 – 65cm. Grayish brown or golden brown in color. They have hairless faces, which appear pink in the females.
Behavior: They usually found in the groups of 20 to 30. Social grooming is a common behavior in bonnet macaques.
Diet: Feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, flower, invertebrates and cereals. In southern India, they exists as commensals to human, feeding on food given by humans, and raiding crops and houses.
Breeding: The reproductive season is reported to be in October in India and in January to February in Central Asia. Sexual maturity: 2.5 – 3.5 years (female); 2.5 to 5 years (male). Gestation period: 4 – 7 months. Litter size: one. Weaning stage: 6 – 7 months.
Longevity: 20 – 25 years.
