Fishing cat

Fishing cat
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Felidae
Subfamily:	Felinae
Genus:	Prionailurus
Species:	P. viverrinus
Binomial name
Prionailurus viverrinus (Bennett, 1833)
Distribution of the fishing cat as of 2016[1]

The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. It has a deep yellowish-grey fur with black lines and spots. Adults have a head-to-body length of 57 to 78 cm (22 to 31 in), with a 20 to 30 cm (7.9 to 11.8 in) long tail. Males are larger than females weighing 8 to 17 kg (18 to 37 lb); females average 5 to 9 kg (11 to 20 lb). Since 2016, it is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Fishing cat populations are threatened by destruction of wetlands and have declined severely over the last decade. The fishing cat lives mostly in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, in swamps, and mangroves.

The fishing cat's main prey is fish. Other prey items include birds, grass, insects, small rodents; molluscs, reptiles including snakes, amphibians and carrion of cattle. The fishing cat is thought to be primarily nocturnal. It is a good swimmer and can swim long distances, even underwater. The species is the state animal of West Bengal. As of 2015, there are estimated to be 10,000 living individuals.