With shrinking wetlands, population of Nepal’s elusive fishing cats is poised to decline · Global Voices
Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus). Image via Flickr by Dulup. CC BY-SA 2.0
In the southern plains of Nepal, a person who is frightened of something is told ‘you’re a wet cat’. But in that region, there are cats that aren’t afraid of water. In fact, it lives near wetlands and mostly feeds on fishes, earning its name as the fishing cat. However, under threats of habitat loss and degradation, the animal’s population is declining in Nepal.
Today, experts estimate there are approximately 150-200 fishing cats in Nepal, with less than 2,500 fishing cats in the wild, distributed discontinuously in South Asia and South-East Asia, where they've been recorded in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Skilful at fishing, the cat's technique is simple: it taps the water surface, and when fishes are drawn to the created ripples, it dives in to catch them. Its partially webbed feet, rudder-like tail and water-resistant coat assist it while swimming. Aside from fishing, for which it was given its name, the cat equally devours rats, reptiles, small mammals, and birds.
It's #FishingCatFebruary so let's learn a bit about the species! Fishing cats are expert hunters in aquatic habitats. Not only do they have some unique morphological features, they also have tricks up their sleeve! #fishingcats #fishingcat #fishingcatfebruary #worldfishingcatday pic.twitter.com/tEzcMsf951
— Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance (@fishingcatorg) February 3, 2021
First recorded in Nepal in 1836 by <PERSON>, the middle-sized cat that weighs around 5-16 kilos and is often confused for a leopard cat, has been classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List.
“Among the 40 wild cat species in the world, the globally-vulnerable fishing cat is the only species spending most of its time in wetland habitat,” <PERSON>, a PhD candidate at the University of Antwerp in Belgium who founded Terai Fishing Cat Project, Nepal, told Global Voices. 447
“Unlike other cats which don’t prefer going underwater, it preys on several species of fishes and other aquatic creatures. So, we call this cat the indicator of a healthy wetlands ecosystem.”
Conservation biologist <PERSON> tweeted:
I love big cats, but I love small cats too! Follow my friend & colleague <PERSON> as she collects Fishing Cat scats in southwest Nepal.@iRamaMishra was the first publish a thesis on Fishing cats in Nepal & is the founder of the Terai Fishing Cat Project @fishingcatorg pic.twitter.com/EkXkDklm8D
— <PERSON> ?? (@samanthaiam) April 26, 2021
On the cat's behaviourism, <PERSON>, who studied fishing cats in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Chitwan National Park, said she “found these cats are exclusively nocturnal in a human-dominated landscape in the buffer zone area of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve,” but that they're also “found active in day hours too in a wilder habitat like in core reserve site of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and Chitwan National Park.”
A camera trap image of a fishing cat. Image by Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)/ National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) through <PERSON>. Used with permission.
Fishing cats have been found and recorded in all protected areas in southern plains of Nepal namely Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Parsa National Park, Chitwan National Park, Bardia National Park and Shuklaphanta National Park from east to west, except Banke National Park. Beyond protected areas, they are found in fish farming areas, sugarcane fields and paddy fields.
But threats like habitat loss and degradation have affected the fishing cat population of Nepal. Speaking to Global Voices, <PERSON>, Assistant Conservation Officer with the Nepalese Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, said that “many wetland habitats are being drained and converted to agricultural land and infrastructure development in Nepal”. He added that, in some areas, pollution and excessive fishing are also damaging wetlands. “In some places, fishing cats have been killed for their pelts or for their meat,” he said.
A fishing cat lives in and around wetlands. Image by <PERSON>. Used with permission. 447