The fishing cat: New insights on distribution in the northern sector of Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Abstract
Fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennett, 1833) is an elusive and medium-sized feline species with distinguished marking patterns on their head and body separating them from other feline species. Despite being distributed widely among diverse geographic locations, their abundance has declined due to significant habitat loss and human disturbances. There exists a substantial research gap regarding their abundance and distribution in Nepal. In this article, we presented the updated documentation of the fishing cat distribution in the northern sector of Chitwan National Park through our species-focused camera trapping survey. The study was carried out between April and May 2021 with a total of 130 camera trap nights. We obtained images of fishing cats from three camera trap sites, less than one kilometer of aerial distance from the human settlements, indicating that the species could also be extensively using human-dominated landscapes within and around the parts of CNP. Our research also found that fishing cats are residing close to the Rapti riverbed where seasonal shallow water holes are more common, allowing them to hunt their prey easily.
References
Khadka B.B., Thapaliya B.P., Maharjan A. and Lamichhane B.R. 2015. Status of wetlands and Mugger crocodiles in and around Chitwan National Park. A report submitted to the Chitwan National Park Office, Kasara, Chitwan, p 1. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3942.9604
Lama S.T., Ross J.G., Bista D., Sherpa A.P., Regmi G.R., Suwal M.K. et al. 2019. First photographic record of Marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata Martin, 1837 (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) in Nepal. Nature Conservation, 32:19–34. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.32.29740
Lamichhane B.R., Pant G., Dhakal M., Acharya H., Subedi N., Thapa K. et al. 2023. “Camera trap record of Asiatic wildcat from Chitwan, Nepal." Cat News, 77:7–8.
Mishra R. 2013. Conservation status of the fishing cat in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. MSc Thesis, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Mishra R., Basnet K., Amin R. and Lamichhane B.R. 2018. Fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus Bennett, 1833 (Carnivora: Felidae) distribution and habitat characteristics in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 10:12451–12458. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3426.10.11.12451-12458
Mishra R., Gautam B., Kaspal P. and Shah S.K. 2021. Population status and threats to fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennett, 1833) in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Eastern Nepal. Nepalese Journal of Zoology, 5:13–21. https://doi.org/10.3126/njz.v5i1.38284
Mishra R., De Iongh H.H., Leirs H., Lamichhane B.R., Subedi N. and Kolipaka S.S. 2022. Fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus distribution and habitat suitability in Nepal. Ecology and Evolution, 12:e8857. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8857
Mishra R., Lamichhane B.R., Leirs H., Subedi N., Adhikari S., Acharya H.R. and de Iongh, H.H. 2024. Cats in farms: Ranging behavior of fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) in a human-dominated landscape. Research Square (Preprint). https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4261765/v1
Mukherjee S., Appel A., Duckworth J.W., Sanderson J., Dahal S., Willcox D.H.A. et al. 2016. Prionailurus viverrinus (errata version published in 2022). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016:e.T18150A221434864. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T18150A221434864.en
Poudel S., Lamichhane B.R., Bhattarai S., Adhikari D., Pokheral C.P., Bhatta T.R. et al. 2019. First photographic evidence of fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus Bennett, 1833 and Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa Griffith, 1821 (Carnivora: Felidae) in Parsa National Park, Nepal. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 11:13497–13501. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4549.11.4.13497-13501
Timilsina S., Mishra R., Adhikari A., Gautam S. and Neupane B. 2021. Status, current distribution and threats to the fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennett, 1833) in Nepal. Journal of Animal Diversity, 3:18–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.52547/JAD.2021.3.2.3
Yadav B.P., Appel A., Shrestha B.P., Dahal B.R. and Dhakal, M. 2020. The fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennett, 1833) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in Shuklaphanta National Park, Nepal. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12:17203–17212. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.6145.12.16.17203-17212
Yadav S.K., Lamichhane B.R., Subedi N., Dhakal M., Thapa R.K., Poudyal, L. et al. 2018. Fishing cat camera trapped in Babai Valley of Bardia National Park, Nepal. Cat News, 67:31–33.
The Nepalese Journal of Zoology has a licensing policy that permits distribution, remixing, adaption, and build upon your work under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License. Authors retain the copyright of the contents published in NJZ and need to grant the right of first publication to the journal. It also allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., on their website) prior to and during the submission process (e.g., as a preprint), as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of the published work. However, authors need to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements with NJZ for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in an institutional book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
