The fishing cat is a medium-sized wild cat found in wetlands, mangroves, and riverine habitats across South and Southeast Asia. As its name suggests, it is unusually adapted to a semi-aquatic life, with partially webbed front paws and a double-layered coat that helps it swim and dive in pursuit of fish, its primary prey, along with crustaceans, mollusks, amphibians, and birds. It is a strong swimmer capable of crossing rivers and diving fully underwater to catch prey. Its dependence on wetland habitat has made it especially vulnerable to the widespread drainage and conversion of wetlands for agriculture and development across its range.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) System (Realm) Relationship to People Living or Extinct Scientific NamePrionailurus viverrinus 4 Conservation Status Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Fishing Cat (Wikidata)
In Biome
Source Wikipedia: Fishing Cat
Source Wikipedia: Fishing Cat
In Ecosystem
Source Wikidata: Tiger
Additional Source Sundarbans (Wikipedia)Article text
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
2. GBIF Species API
3. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Prionailurus viverrinus (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
CITES Appendix II
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive (hunted-fished)
The Biodiversity Conservation Prioritisation Project states that fishing cats are hunted for various aspects of trade, however it is unclear what parts of the fishing cat are valuable for trade (CAMP, 2004) . Fishing cats are also important for educational and research purposes.
View the Source 4. Fishing Cat (Wikidata)
Wikidata- Wikidata Q190674 (P225 taxon name)
Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): vulnerable.
- Child Taxon Of: Prionailurus, Wikidata P171 (parent taxon) claim, rank=normal, target=Q42592 (Prionailurus)
View the Source 5. Wikipedia: Fishing Cat
WikipediaInfobox: status2
CITES_A2
Infobox: status
VU
In Biome: Mangrove Forest, Lead section
It lives mostly in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, in swamps and mangroves where it preys mostly on fish.
In Biome: Wetlands, Lead section
It lives mostly in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, in swamps and mangroves where it preys mostly on fish.
View the Source Sundarbans (Wikipedia)
In Ecosystem: Sundarbans, Article textQuote, In Ecosystem: Sundarbans, Article text
The forest also provides habitat for small wild cats such as the jungle cat (Felis chaus), fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), and leopard cat (P.
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