Why in news?
A wildlife survey by WWF‑India and the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department has captured the first photographic evidence of Pallas’s cat in the state. The discovery highlights the eastern Himalayas as a biodiversity hotspot.
About Pallas’s cat
- Species: Also known as the manul (Otocolobus manul), Pallas’s cat is a small wild cat thought to have diverged from other felines about 5.2 million years ago. It resembles a domestic cat but appears stockier due to its dense fur.
- Range: The species is native to Central Asia—Mongolia, China and parts of Russia—and has now been documented in Arunachal Pradesh, extending its known eastern Himalayan range beyond Bhutan and Sikkim.
- Habitat: Prefers high‑altitude grasslands, rocky steppes and cold deserts, often at elevations around 5,000 metres.
- Physical features: Pallas’s cat has short legs, rounded low‑set ears and thick fur that changes with seasons for camouflage. Its eyes have round pupils (unlike most cats’ vertical slits), and it makes a distinctive yelping call.
- Behaviour: An ambush predator, it hunts rodents, pikas, lizards and small birds. It is solitary, secretive and mostly active at dawn and dusk.
Significance of the discovery
Researchers deployed 136 camera traps across 83 sites covering 2,000 km² in West Kameng and Tawang districts. Besides photographing Pallas’s cat, the survey recorded snow leopards, common leopards, clouded leopards and marbled cats at high elevations. The findings underscore the eastern Himalayas’ unique cat diversity and demonstrate how little is known about high‑altitude ecosystems. Recording these elusive species informs conservation planning and highlights the need to protect fragile mountain habitats.
Caribbean Region (Mapping)
Why in news?
The United States deployed F‑35 fighter jets, warships and thousands of Marines to the southern Caribbean in response to rising tensions with Venezuela. The move has drawn attention to the strategic importance of the Caribbean region.
About the Caribbean
- Geography: The Caribbean comprises the Caribbean Sea, its islands and surrounding coasts—more than 7,000 islands, islets and reefs. The region lies southeast of the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central America and north of South America.
- Nations and territories: Thirteen independent island nations (such as Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and Grenada) and several territories of the USA, UK, France and the Netherlands (e.g., Puerto Rico, Martinique, Aruba) make up the region.
- History: Before European contact, the Taino, Carib and Arawak peoples inhabited the islands. After Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage the area was colonised by European powers. African slaves were later brought to work on sugar and tobacco plantations, shaping the region’s Afro‑European culture.
- Strategic location: Situated at the crossroads of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Panama Canal, the Caribbean has long been a focal point for global maritime trade, naval deployments and geopolitical rivalries—from colonial conflicts to the Cuban Missile Crisis and modern tensions.
- Cultural diversity: Caribbean societies blend African, European, indigenous and Asian influences. Languages spoken include English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Creole dialects.
- Contemporary issues: The region faces challenges such as drug trafficking, organised crime and vulnerability to hurricanes. Regional bodies like CARICOM promote economic integration and collective diplomacy for the small island states.
The recent deployment of American forces underscores the ongoing geopolitical sensitivity of the Caribbean Sea and the need for stability in the Western Hemisphere.