The wild cat was spotted at Ghodaghodi Lake near Jagadishpur reservoir at the end of 2014.
Although Nepal government has not categorized this mammal under any threatened category, IUCN lists fishing cat as endangered species of animals. Because of its rarity, there are no records stating its exact population across the globe. In Nepal, its population has been estimated to be between 150 and 200.A four member team deployed from Small Mammals Conservation and Research Foundation (SMCRF), an organization devoted to studying small mammals in Nepal, had spotted the cat through camera sensor technology.
According to Sagar Dahal, who led the research team that spotted the fishing cat, the spotting has revealed a new habitation of this rare cat in Nepal.
"As the cat was spotted outside the conservation area, it tells us that the habitation of the fishing cat is not just limited to protected areas but also near human settlements. On the other hand, it also indicates the areas near reservoir are naturally suitable for their habitat," said Dahal.
The research team studied the protected area from the month of November to the first week of January of 2014.
During the time of research, images, including short videos of the cat prowling near the river bank, have been clearly captured on camera. "The first two videos were not enough for its identification but the third one made things quite clear. Its medium size, slender body with long black stripes on its back, and its typical nature of preying on fish cleared all our doubts," said Dahal.
Twice the size of a typical house cat, fishing cat ranges in length from 57 cm to 78 cm and weighs between 5 kg and 16kg.
Unlike other cats, who dislike getting wet, they are natural swimmer and enter water to prey on fish. Nocturnal animal, wetlands are their favorite habitats.
Despite their sparse population, the fishing cats have also been spreading in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia.
"It is a sad fact that Nepal government has still not recognized this rare animal and kept it under protection. Moreover, we also lack research and studies in several others mammals which are little known to the public," said Dahal.
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