Guwahati: Two new mammalian species - Binturong or the bearcat and the small-clawed otter - have been recorded in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, taking the total mammalian species in the protected area to 37, an official said.
The two mammalian species were detected during the recent enumeration survey of water birds, park director Sonali Ghosh said. The elusive Binturong (Arctictis binturong), also known as bearcat, is the largest civet in India and listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.It was detected and photographed by tour guide Chirantanu Saikia while participating in the bird census, Ghosh said. An arboreal mammal native to South and Southeast India, it is not easily found due to its nocturnal and arboreal habits, she said. It is also uncommon in much of its range and is known to have a distribution exclusive to NE India, Ghosh added.