India’s first Fishing Cat Collaring Project

India’s first Fishing Cat Collaring Project, led by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)-Dehradun, is set to complete its second census in the coming weeks.

• The Fishing Cat Collaring Project spans three years and is scheduled to conclude by March/April 2025.

About Fishing Cat Collaring Project

• Aim: To study the fishing cat’s home range, behavior, habitat ecology, feeding habits, and space use.
• Fishing cats will be captured and fitted with lightweight collars containing Geographical Information System (GIS) equipment.

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About Fishing Cat

• Habitat: Primarily inhabits wetlands, swamps, marshy areas around oxbow lakes, reed beds, tidal creeks, and mangrove forests.
• Global Distribution: Found mainly in Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Mekong Delta of Vietnam and Thailand, Pakistan, East Cambodia, and the northern Himalayan foothills.
• Distribution in India:
  • Mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.
    • In 2012, the fishing cat was declared as the State Animal of West Bengal 
  • River valleys of the Ganga and Brahmaputra near the Himalayan foothills
  • Western Ghats
  • Population Trends: The Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, has 176 fishing cats, according to a census conducted by Chilika Development Authority (CDA) in collaboration with The Fishing Cat Project (TFCP).
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix II
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
• Behavior and Features:
  • Adept swimmer and frequently dives into water to catch fish.
  • Nocturnal predator, feeding on frogs, crustaceans, snakes, birds, and scavenging carcasses of larger animals.
  • Breeds throughout the year.
  • Unique feature: Its muscular tail is shorter than that of a domestic cat and is ringed with 6-7 distinct, incomplete dark bands.
• The Fishing Cat Project (TFCP) is a long-term research and conservation initiative focused on the fishing cat.
• Launched in 2010, TFCP operates primarily in West Bengal and Odisha, India.
• Key Objectives of TFCP:
  • Research: To study the ecology, behavior, and distribution of fishing cats in their natural habitats.
  • Conservation: To implement effective conservation strategies to protect fishing cat populations and their habitats.
  • Community Engagement: To raise awareness about the importance of fishing cat conservation among local communities and stakeholders.
• TFCP’s Impact:
  • Scientific Research: TFCP has conducted extensive research on fishing cats, including population surveys, habitat assessments, and camera trap studies.
  • Habitat Protection: The project has worked to protect and restore fishing cat habitats, such as wetlands and riverine ecosystems.
  • Community Outreach: TFCP has successfully engaged local communities in conservation efforts through education programs, workshops, and alternative livelihood initiatives.

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About Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS)

• Location: Part of the Godavari estuary where the Coringa River meets the Bay of Bengal in Kakinada district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Habitat for Fishing Cat: By 2018, the population of fishing cats in the sanctuary  was 115, as per the first survey of fishing cats. 
  • The number, however, has increased significantly over the past five years, given the frequency of sightings of the species recorded across and near the sanctuary.
• Significance:
  • India’s second-largest mangrove forest, known for its substantial fishing cat population.
  • The Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary in the Krishna estuarine forest, also in Andhra Pradesh, is another habitat for fishing cats.
• Geographical Features:
  • Located between the sanctuary and the sea is “Hope Island,” which blocks the direct confluence of the Godavari River with the Bay of Bengal.
  • Approximately 40% of the sanctuary comprises sea-backwaters.
• Vegetation: Composed of extensive mangrove and dry deciduous tropical forests.
• Flora: Dominated by mangrove species like Rhizophora spp., Avicennia spp., and Sonnertia spp.
• Fauna:
  • Endangered mammals: Smooth Indian otter, fishing cat, jackal.
  • Birds: Black-capped kingfisher, Brahminy kite, sea gulls, and reef heron.
• Special Feature: The sanctuary’s sea coast serves as a breeding ground for Olive Ridley turtles.