Endangered fishing cat captured by CCTV camera in Guntur district

Visakhapatnam: Forest officials in combined Guntur district spotted a fishing cat, which is considered a ‘vulnerable’ species. Avanigadda forest range officer Raghava Rao said the sighting of the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) was captured by a CCTV camera.
“We will conduct a census to identify the exact number of fishing cats in the region,” he said, adding that the department will conduct campaigns in the coastal areas of Bapatla, Guntur, and Krishna districts between Oct 2 and 8 as part of national wildlife week celebrations to increase awareness on conservation of these cats.
The fishing cat is a medium-sized wild cat that lives in south and southeast Asia. It is found in a wide area, but its population is scattered and patchy. Fishing cats have been reported from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Fishing cats are considered an endangered species whose distinctive features are their tails. Their population is declining throughout the distribution range due to a number of threats, including habitat loss, persecution, and poaching.
In India, fishing cat is listed as a Schedule I species under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This means it is one of the most protected species in the country. However, only a small population of fishing cats is found in south India.