Leopard Cat, not Tiger, confirmed on Assam University campus weeks after viral scare

A wild cat captured on a camera trap inside the Assam University campus has been identified as a leopard cat, debunking a long-standing rumour that it was a tiger and ending weeks of speculation that began with a viral image earlier this month.

According to Professor, Parthankar Choudhury of Assam University Silchar, the animal photographed on 28 February is a leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). The image was recorded by a camera trap set up by MSc student Anupam Goswami as part of a fauna survey of the campus.

The clarification follows a viral claim on 7 February that a tiger had been sighted inside the campus. Two workers had reported seeing a large cat and shared what appeared to be a photograph. However, they could not produce any verifiable image, and the circulated picture was later found to be AI-generated.

Speaking to Barak Bulletin, Parthankar Choudhury, former Dean of Environmental Science, said the initial claims likely arose from misidentification. He explained that the workers had probably seen a leopard cat and mistaken it for a tiger, as untrained observers often struggle to distinguish between the two species. He added that most reported tiger scares in the Barak Valley turn out to be sightings of leopard cats, which are relatively common in the region and frequently confused with larger big cats.

The leopard cat, a small wild feline with striped and spotted markings, can resemble a tiger to untrained observers, especially in brief sightings. Prof Choudhury noted that the species is common in the Assam University Silchar campus and adjoining forested areas and is often mistaken for a tiger across the Barak Valley.

He also shared that three leopard cat cubs were recently rescued from the Hawaithang area, about 36 to 38 kilometres from the university, indicating an active local population.