Fishing Cat
Prionailurus viverrinus
B. Cranke
Description
The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) got its Latin name because of its rather viverrine or civet-like appearance and its preference for fish prey. Two subspecies of the fishing cat are recognised:
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Prionailurus viverrinus viverrinus in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indochina, Nepal and possibly Bhutan and
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Prionailurus viverrinus rhizophoreus on Java
However, further research on its geographic variation is needed to clarify its taxonomy.
The fishing cat is a middle-sized cat and is often confused with the leopard cat. Its fur is short, coarse, and grey or olive brown. The head and body are conspicuously marked with small black spots and stripes. On the face, back and neck the spots merge into short lines. Its belly is white and there are two dark collars on the throat. The head is relatively big and broad with small, rounded ears. The backs of the ears are black with white central spots. The thick muscular tail is very short for a felid and measures only about one third of the total head and body length. The tail is marked with 5-6 black rings and a black tip. The fishing cat's legs are short, stocky and powerfully built. The claws have incomplete sheaths so that they are not completely enveloped when retracted. Despite their fishing activity, the fishing cat does not show marked morphological adaptations for capturing or eating fish. Their hind feet are webbed but the webbing beneath the toes is not much more developed than that of a bobcat, and unlike the flat-headed cat, in which the second upper pre-molar is long and sharp (which enables it to grip slippery prey), the fishing cat has a much smaller and less developed tooth. Females are markedly smaller than males. A few albino individuals have been found exclusively in the Haor Basin of Bangladesh.
Weight
7 - 16 kg
Body Length
65 - 85 cm
Tail Length
25 - 30 cm
Longevity
upto 10 years
Litter Size
2 - 3 cubs
B. Cranke
Status and Distribution
The fishing cat is classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List and listed as Endangered in the National Red Lists of Bangladesh and Nepal. The fishing cat has a wide but fragmented distribution across South and South-East Asia, extending from southern Pakistan in the west to Cambodia in the east, and from the Himalayan foothills of the Terai and the Dooars in the north to Sri Lanka and Thailand in the south. Despite this wide range, confirmed occurrences are highly localized, with significant gaps—often over 100 km—between sites where the species has been recorded. Currently, its main range appears to be in the Indian and Nepal Terai, and in the lower reaches and delta regions of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in India and Bangladesh. It also occurs along major river basins on India’s east coast and is widespread across much of Sri Lanka. In South-East Asia, its range is restricted to the southern Ayeyarwady Region of Myanmar, coastal areas of western peninsular Thailand, and coastal Cambodia. The species has not been recorded in Vietnam or Indonesia since the early 2000s. Its distribution outside protected areas remains poorly understood, as many human-modified landscapes with potentially suitable habitat have not yet been systematically surveyed.
The species occurs from sea level up to 436 m in the Indian Terai—the highest verified altitude for the fishing cat in this region. In Sri Lanka, it has been recorded at elevations as high as 2,277 m.
In the Chitwan National Park, Nepal, the density of fishing cats is estimated at 4.37-6.06 individuals per 100 km². In the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh, India, the density is estimated at 53 individuals per 100 km² and in the Lothian Wildlife Sanctuary in the Sundarbans at 44 ± 13 individuals per 100 km². In Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Thailand, a density of 14.23 ± 3.2 individuals was estimated. Camera trap surveys indicate that fishing cats occur at a density of 3–3.5 individuals per 100 km² in inland protected areas of the Indian Terai. In comparison, densities in coastal regions—both inside and outside protected areas—are considerably higher, ranging from 18 to 70 individuals per 100 km². These figures have been used to extrapolate population estimates in similar inland and coastal areas where direct data are lacking. Based on the combination of existing and extrapolated data, the total fishing cat population is estimated to range from 3,194 to 7,527 individuals. The majority of the population occurs in South Asia, with an estimated 1,768–5,088 individuals in India and Bangladesh, and 1,392–2,187 individuals in Sri Lanka. South-East Asia, Thailand and Cambodia together are estimated to support no more than 131–200 individuals.
Ecology and Behaviour
The fishing cat was thought to be largely nocturnal. However, several camera trap records obtained since 2011 show that it is also active during daylight hours. The fishing cat spends most of its time in dense cover. It is an excellent swimmer and diver over long distances. The fishing cat hunts alone. It has been observed hunting mostly in shallow water where it uses its webbed hind feet to push itself along leaving the front feet ready to grab fish. It has been observed diving into water after fish as well as attempting to scoop them out of water with its paws. Fishing cats are reported to catch waterfowl by swimming up to them while fully submerged and seizing their legs from underneath. However, it is suggested that the species prefers hunting in shallow waters, as the submergence of the body results in the loss of more body heat/energy.
Fishing Cat home range sizes seem to vary with sex, habitat, and season. In Chitwan National Park, female home ranges were estimated 4–6 km², while that of a male was 16–22 km². The home range of a male individual in Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary was estimated at 18.46 km². In and around Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, female ranges spanned 2.3–5.3 km² during the dry season and 3.0–4.4 km² during the wet season. The male's range in this area expanded from 8.9 km² in the dry season to 12.6 km² in the wet. In the urban landscape of Colombo, Sri Lanka, females occupied home ranges of 3.06–3.39 km², whereas males covered much larger areas of 32.02–32.99 km². Movement patterns also reflected these differences: in Thailand, females traveled between 598 and 1,335 m per day, while males moved 1,373 to 2,285 m daily. Male home ranges enclose several female home ranges and both sexes use scent for marking. In the mangroves of Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, India, considerable amounts of home range overlap were observed between individuals of the same sex, too. However, individuals of the same sex overlapping spatially largely showed temporal avoidance through their activity patterns.
Mating has been observed between late February and early March in the Indian Sundarbans. The gestation period ranges from 63 to 70 days, and litters typically consist of one to three kittens. Most sightings of newborns occur between November and June, although in the Bhitarkanika mangroves of Odisha, kittens have been observed throughout the year. At the age of 10 months, fishing cats become independent.
Prey
The fishing cat preys mainly on fish and other aquatic species, and not primarily on small mammals as other small cats. It also feeds on birds, amphibians such as frogs, on small mammals, reptiles (e.g. snakes), snails, crustaceans and molluscs. It is known to sometimes take small Indian civet, wild pig and young deer. It preys occasionally also on domestic goats, calves, dogs and poultry. It dives into water to catch fish, ducks or coots. The fishing cat travels along rivers and changes its hunting site about every fifteen minutes. Occasionally it also takes carrion; it has been observed scavenging livestock carcasses and kills. Also an instance of arboreal foraging behaviour in fishing cats—targeting nests of colonial waterbirds in the tree canopy—was documented.
In the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, the fishing cat mainly preyed on fish followed by birds, while in the Coringa mangroves collected scat also contained remains of crabs, rodents and reptiles. In Thailand, their main prey is fish, rodents and birds, whereas other prey such as snakes and crabs were consumed in small percentage.
Pumapix/S. Kennerknecht
Main Threats
The major threat to the fishing cat across range countries appears to be the loss and fragmentation of forests, grasslands, wetlands, marshes and mangrove habitats due to the expansion of aquaculture, agriculture, infrastructure and industrialisation. The expansion of commercial aquaculture in particular results in the pollution of the entire food chain due to microplastics and the use of chemicals and sewage reaching surrounding areas untreated. This increasingly poses an obvious indirect threat as the fishing cat consumes contaminated prey and this can lead to an accumulation of lethal amounts of pollutants.
In most range countries, land use changes are aggravated by conflict with humans over resources such as land and small livestock. The killing of fishing cats is most prevalent in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta and northeastern Bangladesh, often in retaliation for perceived loss of small livestock and fish stocks. Several incidences of fishing cat meat and body parts being consumed by ethnic groups have been reported in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Cambodia. Additionally, there is evidence of fishing cats being captured, kept, and traded as pets in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Thailand. An interview survey conducted across 37 villages in Bangladesh revealed that local communities sometimes kill fishing cats due to fears of attacks, stemming from a misconception that the species poses a danger to humans. With the expansion of linear infrastructure, roadkills have become an emerging threat, particularly in India and Sri Lanka.
Conservation Efforts and Protection Status
The fishing cat is included in the CITES Appendix II. It is protected over most of its range. In India, the fishing cat is afforded the highest level of protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. In Pakistan’s Sindh province, it is protected under the First Schedule of the Sindh Wildlife Protection, Preservation, Conservation, and Management Act, making the possession, hunting, and trade of protected species illegal. In Nepal, the species is not specifically listed as protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, although hunting wildlife without a license is prohibited. In Bangladesh, the fishing cat has been fully protected since 1973 under the Wildlife Preservation Order within the Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act. In Myanmar, the species is completely protected under the Conservation of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law. In Sri Lanka, it is strictly protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection (Amendment) Act. In Thailand, the species is protected under the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act, which prohibits intentional killing. In Cambodia, the fishing cat is listed as common in the Natural Resource and Environmental Code, but penalties for its trade and consumption are minimal.
One of the most important aspects regarding the conservation of the fishing cat is the protection and sustainable use of wetland areas. Sri Lanka became the first country to grant legal protection to all of its mangrove forests in 2015. Efforts to restore and replant mangroves have been undertaken in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. The fishing cat also benefits from the creation of wildlife corridors, particularly in the Indian Terai and Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands.
Communities living in and around several survey sites in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh have been engaged and made aware of the importance of conserving and protecting the fishing cat. In India, the species has been designated as the State Animal of West Bengal and serves as the flagship species for Odisha’s Chilika Lagoon. A national conservation blueprint outlines coordinated, district-level actions needed to protect the species across the country. However, in areas with high levels of human-wildlife conflict—such as West Bengal and Bangladesh—there remains a pressing need to develop and implement targeted educational material and outreach strategies.
A Fishing Cat Working Group was established in 2011. At the First International Fishing Cat Conservation Symposium in 2015, a Fishing Cat Conservation Strategy was developed. A Second International Symposium on Fishing Cat Conservation was held in 2018.
Habitat
Fishing cats inhabit a variety of habitats across their range. In the Indus River basin, Terai, and Indian Dooars, they are recorded in mosaics of forest and dense grassland, especially near waterbodies like streams, swamps, oxbow lakes, and reservoirs. In Indian Tiger Reserves, they have also been observed in dry deciduous forests up to 6 km away from streams. Mangrove forests and remnant mangrove patches are key habitats along the Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Thailand. Outside protected areas, Fishing cats are frequently found near fishponds, in rice fields, oil-palm and coconut plantations, abandoned unused land, marshland and on river banks. It has also been documented in sugarcane fields and near commercial fish farms in West Bengal and Odisha. In Sri Lanka, their habitats range from tea estates and rocky slopes near water bodies to wetlands and various forest type.
The species occurs from sea level up to 436 m in the Indian Terai—the highest verified altitude for the fishing cat in this region. In Sri Lanka, it has been recorded at elevations as high as 2,277 m.
A genetic study showed low genetic diversity and a strong genetic structure among fishing cat populations in India, indicating the presence of landscape-level barriers, due to the patchiness of wetland habitats and fragmentation caused byanthropogenic activities. In contrast, the Terai population exhibits relatively high genetic diversity, showing a metapopulation structure.
S. Kennerknecht