Fishing Cat

(Prionailurus viverrinus)

Distribution: Distributed throughout the wetlands of South East Asia, extending from Pakistan through Malaysia.

Habitat: Found in heavily forested regions adjacent to slow-moving wetland marshes and swamp margins.

Diet: Fish are their most frequent prey, but they also hunt any small mammals, such as rodents or birds.  .

Predators: Humans.

Conservation Status: Endangered, due to habitat destruction and human over exploitation of fish stocks.

Gestation: One to four young are born after a gestation of about 63 days. Young reach adult size at less than one year of age.

Longevity:  Approximately 12 years.

General: Fishing Cats are very strong swimmers, both in deep water and over long distances. They are stocky and powerfully built, with short legs, a broad head and a short tail, which is roughly one-third the length of its body. Their fur is coarse and brownish-grey,with distinctive dark markings which are a combination of both spots and stripes.