Kaziranga Emerges as Stronghold of Vulnerable Fishing Cat

The first scientific assessment of the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) has established Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve as a stronghold of the small cat species.

• Protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 in India, the globally vulnerable fishing cat study was based on camera-trap images obtained from tiger estimation data across India. It was carried out by the Kaziranga Tiger Cell in collaboration with fishing cat project scientist Tiasa Adhya.
• To estimate whether fishing cats are rare or common in Kaziranga, known as the land of the one-horned rhinoceros, and to estimate at least how many cats are present there. The report was published on 22 February, which is observed as Fishing Cat Day.
• A note on the study stated, “A total of 57 distinct cats were identified across more than 450 sq. km area. This indicates a healthy, breeding population spread across the tiger reserve.” It also said that the estimate may be low as the data was based on camera trap grid size designed for tigers.
• They said, “The number of this cat recorded in Kaziranga is the highest so far in a floodplain ecosystem.” This collage is from camera traps during tiger estimation.

Critical wetland carnivore

• Data collected under the fishing cat project shows that Kaziranga has the highest population of carnivores (at least 57) in floodplain ecosystems, followed by Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Dudhwa National Park (both in Uttar Pradesh) with populations between 35 and 51.
• By population, other major freshwater fishing cat habitats include Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand (14-17), Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh (12-14), and Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar (6-7).
• Among estuarine habitats of fishing cats, Sundarbans Tiger Reserve in West Bengal leads with an estimated population of 385, followed by Chilika Lagoon in Odisha (341), Bhitarkanika National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha (83-115), and Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh (95-100).
• The fishing cat is one of the few cats adapted for hunting in water and is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
• After disappearing from Vietnam and Java, its world’s main population is in South Asia associated with wetlands in lowland river basins.
• Best habitats include wet alluvial grasslands, shallow beels (wetlands), wet grasslands and forest refugia that help survive floods.
• In India, it is mainly found along the Sundarbans, Ganga and Brahmaputra basins, Himalayan foothills and Western Ghats.
• Identification: State animal of West Bengal.