Bhitarkanika fishing cats

Subject: Environment

Context:

The Odisha forest department has started a two-year conservation project for fishing cats in Bhitarkanika National Park

Concept:

• The fishing cat is nocturnal and apart from fish also preys on frogs, crustaceans, snakes, birds, and scavenges on carcasses of larger animals.
• In India, fishing cats are mainly found in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, on the foothills of the Himalayas along the Ganga and Brahmaputra river valleys and in the Western Ghats.
• One of the major threats facing the fishing cat is the destruction of wetlands.
• The fishing cat is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists the fishing cat on Appendix II of CITES, which governs international trade in this species. In India, the fishing cat is included in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and thereby protected from hunting.
• The wetland is represented by as many as 3 protected Areas, namely “The Bhitarkanika National Park”, “The Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary” and “The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary”.

Bhitarkanka National Park

• Bhitarkanika is a unique habitat of Mangrove Forestscriss-crossed with numerous creeks and mud flats located in Kendrapara district of Orissa.
• Bhitarkanika located in the estuary of Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra& Mahanadi river systems, has unique attraction and a boast of nature’s most picturesque sites.
• Bhitarkanika National Park is a prime habitat of leopard cat, fishing cat, jungle cat, hyena, wild boar, spotted deer, sambar, porcupine, dolphin, salt water crocodile including partially white crocodile, python, king cobra, water monitor lizards, terrapin, marine turtle, kingfisher, wood pecker, hornbill, bar headed geese, brahminy duck, pintail, white bellied sea eagle, tern, sea gull, waders and a large variety of resident and migratory birds.