The subject of this article revolves around the Fishing Cat Project, Chilika Lake, IUCN, CITES, and the significant categories of Conservation, Biodiversity, and Environment. The most recent news is about the census conducted by the Chilika Development Authority, which revealed 176 fishing cats in the Chilika Lake. The census was accomplished with collaboration from The Fishing Cat Project (TFCP). This event marks the world’s first effort to estimate the population of fishing cats outside protected regions. A method called Spatially Explicit Capture Recapture (SECR) was used to analyze the gathered data.
About Fishing Cats
The fishing cat, known scientifically as Prionailurus viverrinus, is about twice the size of a typical house cat. It is a nocturnal creature that feeds not only on fish but also on frogs, crustaceans, snakes, birds, and scavenges on larger animal carcasses. These species can breed all year round and mainly inhabit areas with dense vegetation near bodies of water, proving their remarkable swimming skills.
Habitat of Fishing Cats
These cats have an inconsistent distribution along the Eastern Ghats where they thrive in estuarine floodplains, tidal mangrove forests, and inland freshwater habitats. Apart from Sundarbans in West Bengal and Bangladesh, these cats also inhabit the Chilika lagoon and surrounding wetlands in Odisha, Coringa, and Krishna mangroves in Andhra Pradesh.
Threats to Fishing Cats
Unfortunately, these unique creatures face significant threats due to habitat destruction, particularly of wetlands, their primary dwelling place. Shrimp farming and hunting for meat and skin also pose significant risks. Tribespeople’s ritual hunting practices, poaching for skin, and the indiscriminate use of trapping, snaring, and poisoning further compromise the survival of these species.
Protection Status of Fishing Cats
Despite the various threats they face, fishing cats have been downlisted from “Endangered” to merely “Vulnerable” in the IUCN Red List species assessment. Besides, they are protected under Appendix II of CITES and Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Conservation efforts for Fishing Cats
Several conservation efforts have been undertaken to protect these unique species. For instance, Chilika Development Authority has expressed its intention to carry out a five-year action plan for fishing cat conservation in Chilika. In 2021, the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance initiated a study concerning the bio-geographical distribution of these cats in northeastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, an area marked by human dominance and lack of protection.
Key Points of Chilika Lake
Chilika Lake is Asia’s largest and world’s second-largest lagoon. It gained global recognition in 1981 as the first Indian wetland of international significance under the Ramsar Convention. Besides, it is regarded as a primary attraction for hosting Irrawaddy dolphins, which are frequently spotted off Satapada Island, and for being home to the large Nalabana Island (Forest of Reeds) bird sanctuary. The lake also attracts migrating birds from thousands of miles away due to its vast mud-field and abundant fish stock.