In the world’s 1st population estimation of the Fishing Cat, threatened species as many as 176 Fishing Cats were found in Chilika Lake, Odisha. This was the first such Fishing Cat population estimation conducted outside the protected area network.
In a recently concluded First Fishing Cat population estimation in Chilika, conducted by Chilika Development Authority in collaboration with the Fishing Cat Project (TFCP).
The total abundance of Fishing Cat in Chilkika was found to be 176 within an estimated range of 131-237 individuals. The population estimation was done in two phases. The phase 1 of the estimation was conducted in 2021 in the 115 sq. km marshland present in the north and north-eastern section of chilika and its surrounding areas. Phase 11 was conducted in 2022 in the Parikad side along the coastal islands of Chilika. In the both the phases, a total of 150 camera traps were deployed with each staying in the field for 30 days.
Fishing Cats, globally have been categories as a ‘threatened’ category animal. It is found in in the wetlands like marshlands, mangroves and flooded forest in major South and South east Asian river basins starting from Indus in Pakistan till Mekong in Vietnam and in the island nations of Sri Lanka and Java.
The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild Cat. Since 2016, it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Fishing cat populations are threatened by destruction of wetlands and have declined severely over the last decade.[1] The fishing cat lives foremost in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, streams,
The fishing cat is the state animal of west Bengal.