Guwahati: Famous worldwide for its one-horned rhinoceroses and high tiger density, Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has now added another species to its conservation achievements, the endangered Fishing Cat.
In the first scientific assessment of the species in Kaziranga, researchers have documented at least 57 individual Fishing Cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) across more than 450 sq km of the park’s floodplain landscape. The species is listed as Vulnerable globally and receives the highest level of protection under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act.
The study was carried out by Kaziranga’s Tiger Cell in collaboration with Tiasa Adhya of the Fishing Cat Project. Instead of deploying new cameras, the team analysed existing camera-trap data collected during the All India Tiger Estimation exercise, turning “by-catch” images into species-specific research.
First Baseline for the Species in Kaziranga
Researchers set out to answer two basic questions: Are Fishing Cats rare in Kaziranga? And how many are there?
By identifying unique coat patterns, the team confirmed 57 distinct individuals. Because the camera traps were designed to monitor large carnivores and not smaller wetland cats, researchers say the actual number could be higher.
The study provides the first baseline estimate for the species in Kaziranga and establishes a method for tracking lesser-known carnivores using existing national wildlife monitoring data.
Dr. Sonali Ghosh, Field Director of Kaziranga, said the findings strengthen the park’s role in freshwater conservation.
“Kaziranga’s floodplains are proving to be critical habitat not just for megafauna, but also for specialised wetland species like the Fishing Cat,” she said.
Among India’s Largest Freshwater Populations
Fishing Cat populations in India are often associated with estuarine ecosystems such as the Sundarbans and Chilika. However, among strictly freshwater landscapes, Kaziranga’s figure stands out as one of the highest documented so far.
Recent freshwater estimates elsewhere in India include:
Kishanpur WLS & Dudhwa NP (Uttar Pradesh): 35–51
Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (Uttarakhand): 14–17
Katerniaghat WLS (Uttar Pradesh): 12–14
Valmiki Tiger Reserve (Bihar): 6–7
With 57 confirmed individuals, Kaziranga now ranks among the most important freshwater strongholds for the species.
A Wetland Predator Under Pressure
The Fishing Cat is uniquely adapted to aquatic hunting, with partially webbed feet and a fish-dominated diet. It depends on lowland river basin wetlands, habitats under increasing pressure from encroachment, infrastructure, altered river flows, and climate change.
The species has disappeared from parts of its historical range in Southeast Asia, and South Asia now supports the core global population.
Conservationists say the cat can serve as an indicator of wetland health. A stable population suggests intact floodplain systems with adequate fish stocks and vegetative cover.
Floodplains Key to Survival
In Kaziranga, Fishing Cats were recorded across wet alluvial grasslands, shallow beels, marshes, and woodland refuges used during annual floods. The study also provides a scientific benchmark to monitor how changing flood patterns may affect wetland species in the future.
The findings were released on February 22 to mark Fishing Cat Day. Outreach programmes, lectures, student activities, and safaris were organised to highlight the species.
With rhinos and tigers already drawing global attention, the discovery shifts focus to a lesser-known predator thriving in the same landscape.
Kaziranga, long celebrated for its grassland giants, is now being recognised as a critical refuge for one of South Asia’s most specialised freshwater carnivores.