The Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), commonly called Malaha Biralo, one of the 13 cat species in Nepal, is a medium sized cat found primarily in wetland areas, and native to Asia including Nepal. It is threatened to extinction by habitat loss, depletion of fish populations, road accidents, retaliatory killing and predators. This has resulted in its inclusion as globally “vulnerable” species on the IUCN Red List. Strong conservation efforts are required from the conservation stakeholders as it faces a danger of extinction in the wild.
The fishing cat is a highly elusive wild cat species, a skilled swimmer, and is about double the size of a domestic cat with medium to short legs. Since wetlands such as; rivers, lakes, mangroves, and swamps are the preferred habitats of fishing cats, their diet mainly consists of fish species, including some insects, frogs, birds, small rodents, and snakes. In the Terai region of Nepal, many of the wetlands are either converted to other land use types or are used for commercial fishing activities, which have challenged the survival of fishing cats. In sites where commercial fishing is done, the relationship between fishing cat and the farmer are often negative, adding threats. There are records of illegal hunting of fishing cat for pelts. Furthermore, unsustainable fishing practices, shrinkage of wetlands due to climate change, use of pesticides, and pollution due to human settlement are also significant threats. In Chitwan, regular fishing by local fishermen (majhis) poses a major threat to fishing cats. Between January 2010 and March 2013, at least thirty fishing cats were killed in Bangladesh by locals over the course of three years. Moreover, 84% of all fishing cats that were monitored using radio collars in Thailand died from poaching or unidentified causes.
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This cat species is discontinuously distributed in South and Southeast Asia. Its presence has been recorded in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia alongside Nepal. Hunting is prohibited in these countries. In Nepal, comprehensive information about the status of fishing cats is limited. About 150–200 mature individuals of this species are thought to be restricted to the Terai region. In recent times, researchers have recorded their presence in eight sites, including five protected areas: Chitwan National Park, Parsa National Park, Bardia National Park, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, and Shuklaphanta National Park, and three other sites outside the protected areas, including Kapilvastu, Bara, and Sunsari. According to the recent study published by Rama Mishra and the team in 2022, only 4.4% of Nepal’s lowland Terai area below 300 m was found potentially suitable for fishing cat habitat. As the results are based on the maxent model which often predicts the suitable sites near the presence points, the results need to be updated with additional survey efforts.
Despite the efforts, the studies are mostly focused on the distribution of fishing cats, and their ecology is poorly known in Nepal. The scarce information available about the distribution and threats to fishing cats has prevented us from finding out their conservation status, and conservationists agree that their populations are diminishing.
The information on habitat distribution and threats can be useful for prioritizing areas and conservation planning for fishing cat conservation in Nepal and other countries. The government, along with conservation stakeholders, can play a crucial role in the conservation of this species. Similarly, diversifying the livelihood of local fishermen can be useful in controlling human-cat conflict. Raising awareness among local stakeholders and the community about the ecological importance and conservation of fishing cats can be a stepping stone in the conservation of this nocturnal species.
The fishing cat is categorized as an endangered species in Nepal and its hunting and trade are illegal. It is protected by the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 (1973). Furthermore, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) has enlisted the fishing cat in Appendix II, which governs the international trade of fishing cat. Each year, “Fishing Cat February” is celebrated throughout February to educate the world about the lesser-known fishing cats. After this year, maybe we will give this incredible animal a bit more consideration and come together as a passionate group of fishing cat enthusiasts and safeguard wetland environments for fishing cats and other species as well.
