Fishing Cat Collaring Project

The Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) Conservation Biologists will begin collaring ten Fishing Cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh. The three-year project begins to study the species behaviour and threats.
This is the country’s first Fishing Cat collaring project. In Asia, a similar project was done earlier in Bangladesh. The Andhra Pradesh State Forest Department has already released ₹.45 lakh which was funded by the Vedanta group for the project. The total project cost is ₹75 lakh. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had permitted the capturing and collaring of the Fishing Cat.
The project begins with the activity of estimate (census) of the Fishing Cat in the sanctuary before selecting the Fishing Cats for the collaring”. The census was conducted in 2018 and 115 Fishing Cats were recorded.
Fishing cat is a nocturnal animal, mostly found in densely vegetated areas near water bodies in river estuaries, flood plains, mangrove forests and inland fresh water areas. This species breeds throughout the year.