Itanagar, Sep 9: In a significant breakthrough for wildlife research, the elusive Pallas’s cat has been photographed for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh during a high-altitude biodiversity survey.

The survey, conducted by WWF-India in collaboration with the state Forest Department and local communities, highlights the region’s rare and diverse fauna. Alongside the Pallas’s cat, researchers also confirmed sightings of snow leopard, common leopard, clouded leopard, leopard cat, and marbled cat at elevations above 4,200 metres, showcasing the eastern Himalayas’ rich wildcat diversity.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Nyilyang Tam termed the discovery a major milestone for conservation science, emphasizing its importance in understanding and protecting Arunachal Pradesh’s unique mountain ecosystem.