Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)

Context

The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has successfully radio-collared three Fishing Cats in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, as part of the Fishing Cat Collaring Project to study their behaviour and ecology.

Fishing Cat

Feature	Description
Common Name	Tiger Fish / Kla Trey
Scientific Name	Prionailurus viverrinus
Size & Build	Medium-sized wild cat; muscular, stocky frame; short legs & tail
Distinct Traits	Round, elongated face; sexually dimorphic (females smaller than males)
Activity Pattern	Solitary and nocturnal; highly adapted to water; excellent swimmer
Habitat	Prefers wetlands—marshes, swamps, mangroves, riverbanks, reed beds
Distribution

• India: Sundarbans, Gangetic-Brahmaputra floodplains, AP mangroves, Western Ghats
• Global: Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Pakistan, China, Java, Sumatra
  | Diet | Carnivorous—feeds mainly on fish, frogs, crabs, and small rodents |

Conservation Status

Organization / Law	Status
IUCN Red List	Vulnerable (VU)
CITES	Appendix II
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972	Schedule I (highest protection)

Threats to Survival

• Loss and degradation of wetland ecosystems
• Water pollution
• Poaching and accidental killings
• Conflicts with local communities near wetlands

Fishing Cat Collaring Project (2025)

Aspect	Details
Purpose	To monitor movement, feeding habits, reproduction, and range ecology of Fishing Cats
Technology	Lightweight GPS collars integrated with GIS for year-round tracking
Implementing Agencies	Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Andhra Pradesh Forest Department
Location	Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh

 

Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary – Quick Facts

Feature	Description
Location	In the Godavari estuary, near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh
Area	~235 sq km (40% covered by sea backwaters, rest by tidal creeks)
Vegetation	India’s second-largest mangrove forest after Sundarbans
Flora	Mangrove species: Rhizophora spp., Avicennia spp., Sonneratia spp.
Fauna – Mammals	Fishing Cat, Smooth-coated Otter, Golden Jackal
Fauna – Birds	Black-capped Kingfisher, Brahminy Kite, Sandpiper, Reef Heron, Gulls
Other Significance	Nesting site for Olive Ridley Turtles along the coastline

 

Significance of the Project

• Aids in conservation planning by providing scientific data on habitat usage
• Helps mitigate human-wildlife conflict in wetland ecosystems

Promotes awareness on the importance of wetland conservation for flagship species