Contest Theme: Small Wild Cats of India
There are 10
species of small wild cats in India. Small wild cats play a key role in the
food chain of the ecosystem by preying on rodents and other small animals. If
small cats are missing in the environment, the rodent populations will increase
uncontrollably leading to ecological imbalance. Habitat destruction due to
man-made activities is one of the main threats to their survival.
Your art work should focus exclusively on the
small wild cat species of India and how you can help to save them. The Asian
Golden Cat, Marbled Cat, Caracal, Asiatic Wildcat, Eurasian Lynx, Pallas’s Cat,
Jungle Cat, Leopard Cat, Fishing Cat and Rusty-spotted Cat are the small cat
species inhabiting various habitats of the country.
There is a
special prize for the best art work on the Fishing
Cat. You may submit your art work in this special category separately.
A brief introduction to small wild cats of India
1.
Asiatic Golden Cat: A medium sized cat having plain
golden color coat. Inhabits forests of north-eastern India. A terrestrial
animal with good climbing skills.
2.
Marbled Cat:
A beautiful cat with irregular blotches all along its body. Found in
evergreen forests of north-east India. Feeds on small mammals, birds and
rodents.
3.
Caracal: It has long, black tufted ears. A
slender cat inhabiting arid regions of north-western India. Mainly consumes
birds and small mammals.
4.
Asiatic Wildcat: Found close to human habitations and
cultivated fields. Also called as Desert Cat. Prefers desert and semi-arid
regions of north-western India.
5.
Eurasian Lynx: Has a sandy grey coloured coat with
long tufted ears. Found in some parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Sikkim. Feeds
on small hoofed mammals and hares.
6.
Pallas’s Cat: Inhabits the trans-Himalayan region
of India. They have a thick coat which makes them look stocky in appearance.
Their populations are decreasing due to habitat loss and poaching.
7.
Jungle Cat: Most commonly found wild cat species
in India. It has a short tail and long legs.
Hunts small snakes, lizards, mice and frog.
8.
Leopard Cat: Another commonly found small cat in
India. Sadly, they are hunted for their beautiful fur. They mainly prey on
rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels.
9.
Rusty Spotted cat: Smallest cat in the world!
Characterised by linear rusty brown spots along its back and head. Lives in dry
forest, rocky areas and scrub forest of central and south India.
10.
Fishing Cat: An Endangered wild cat with large
longitudinal stripes from above the forehead over its neck. Their primary
habitat consists of wetlands and mangroves. They prey on fish, birds, insects
and rodents. They are protected by the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
Contest Rules
*Please keep in
mind, art work submitted on big cat species like tiger, lion or leopard will not
be accepted.
1. The art contest runs from October 7th
2015 to November 15th 2015
2. Open to all children between 10-16
years of age!
3. Art work using ink, pencil,
paint and crayon will only be accepted.
4. The art work must be an original
creation.
5. Your art should not be larger than 29
cm x 42 cm in size (A3 is acceptable)
6. All artwork must include the phrase: SAVE THE SMALL WILD CATS! (Capitalized, with an exclamation point!)
7. Please write your name, age, class,
school and contact number on the back of the art work.
8. The contest winners will be selected
by judges appointed by the organising bodies.
9. Submissions after the deadline will
not be accepted.
10. Winners will be notified by phone
& email by second week of December, 2015.
11. Prizes will be given away to the winners at a
venue and date announced later.
12. Art work may be directly submitted to
your concerned school teacher or digitised copies emailed to egwsvizag@gmail.com
Prizes
I Prize – Cash award of 6,000/- rupees + Certificate
II & III Prizes – School bags + Certificate.
Fishing
Cat Category - Cash award of 4,000/-
rupees + Certificate for the best
art!
Suggestions
1. We discourage using glitter.
2. No religious content.
3. Do not bend your drawing sheets.
4. Do not copy from other’s content.
5. Select species of your interest and
carry out thorough research over the internet or read relevant books /magazines
to fine-tune your ideas.
