In the tranquil gloomy mangroves of the night lurks a predator, a medium sized small cat, the Fishing cat, named after its primary prey, the fish. It has the size twice that of the domestic cat and a sturdily built, muscular body with small legs. It has a widespread but patchy distribution throughout South and South-east Asia; with confirmed records of occurrence from Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Java. In India it is found from Bharatpur in Rajasthan, along the Himalayan foothills, through eastern India into Andhra Pradesh.
The fishing cat is a specialist species and mostly occurs in the swamps of the wetlands and mangroves. It is the member of the threatened freshwater mammalian guild. It is also one of the EDGE species meaning it is a highly rated ‘Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered’. It is the state animal of west Bengal where it is known as the “mach-baghrol”. People residing close to the wetland or mangroves of west Bengal often confuse it for a tiger cub or leopard, due to its partly stripped and rosette patterns. It has double coated water resistant fur, partly webbed feet, a stubby tail for balance and half-sheathed claws that help move through mud and catch slippery prey like fish.
Conservation Status
Being a specialist species, the fishing cat relies on specific habitat and prey types and hence the conservation of these habitats plays a significant role in maintaining the population of the species. There has been a 30% decline in their population in the past 15 years and is predicted to decline further if the threats related to their survival are not mitigated. The fishing cat has been categorised as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and kept under Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
In India Fishing cats are found in both protected and unprotected areas. In Odisha it is found in the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. It also inhabits the mangroves of Sunderbans in West Bengal. Apart from this it is distributed in various wetlands across India.
What are the threats faced by the Fishing Cat?
The fishing cat depends on wetland habits for its survival, these habitats unfortunately are at a risk of loss by degradation due to competition for resources with humans. Wetlands are being lost at a rate three times more than the forests. Several wetlands are converted to agricultural fields, fragmented or destroyed as a result of the expanding human population.
Poaching and retaliatory killing are found to be potential threats for the survival of the species. The teeth, claws and wishers of the dead cat are often taken away by the locals because of superstitious belief in their medicinal and supernatural values.
Anthropogenic activities such as intensive fishing, aquaculture are other threats. Tourism and shrimp culture practice in the Chilika Lake has lead to a decline in the fishing cat population in a supposed important fishing cat habitat.
Road kills are also turning out to be an important cause of the decline of the species. Investigations have shown that road kills are the major cause of mortality of the fishing cats in Odisha. Adult males are more likely the victims of such incidents, as they defend large territories, and move over larger areas for foraging than the females. The fishing cat is nocturnal, meaning it shows a higher activity during the night, this keeps them at a risk of being hit by vehicles while crossing roads during the night.
There are several other threats which are site specific, such as the case of the red algae covering the surface of water bodies in Keoladeo Ghana. The layer or red algae hinder the visibility of the water surface, making it difficult for the fishing cat to catch its prey.
How is the Fishing Cat being Conserved?
The above mentioned treats need to be addressed to maintain the population of the fishing cat. To reduce conflict with humans, in co-existing areas, if any losses are caused by the animal then the locals should be compensated. This would prevent the hatred and intolerance of the locals towards the species. Education and awareness is important, the more awareness generated the more it would be easy to eliminate the possibility of any conflict. Research and systematic assessment of the population of fishing cats should be conducted to keep their numbers in check and monitor trends in the population.
This would provide an insight needed to implement conservation actions. To prevent road kills underpasses should be constructed. Protecting the habitat of the fishing cat is inevitably important, so agricultural practices, fragmentation of habitat should be controlled as much as possible or sustainable solutions should be implemented to satisfy human needs as well as to protect the cat. Assessment of the regions where the species is found should be done and site specific action plans should be made.
Conclusion
As a flagship species of the wetland ecosystem, a species that represents the wetland ecosystem, the conservation of fishing cats will not only help the existence of the species itself but also help conserve the degrading wetland ecosystems. Several organisations have been working towards this cause, such as the Fishing Cat Project founded by Tiasa Adhya. It is the longest known research and conservation project on fishing cats operating in the states of West Bengal and Odisha.
The fishing cat is a unique feline species unlike the other 40 species of wild cat; it is the only one which has 93 morphological adaptations for a semi-aquatic hunting niche. Protecting this species will also lead to the protection of several other flora and fauna. This can only be possible by the joint efforts of locals and likeminded people who understand the importance of the future of the species.
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Written by: Ritika Chatterjee