In a good news to the wildlife lovers, the fishing cat population in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary has registered an increase.
According to a census exercise done as part a survey conducted by the Forest Department, in association with the EGREE Foundation, the fishing cat population in the sanctuary has gone up to 115 wjhen compared to 70 in 2014.
After the previous surveys concluded a decrease in the numbers of the animals by 70% in a decade, the fresh one has come as a good news to nature lovers.
IUCN Red List
Known as ‘Neeti Pilli’ in local parlance, fish cat ( Prionailurus viverrinus ) is mammal double the size of domestic cat which is a native to wetlands, swamps and marshy areas. Rapid depletion of wetland is posing a threat to the animal on a global scale and India is no exception. Fish cat has been designated as ‘vulnerable’ in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
According to the forest officials, the survey was conducted in the sanctuary spreading in 235.7 km and its adjoining area of another 75 sq.km. between June and August last year and the findings were published early this month.
Camera traps
“We have conducted the data in a scientific manner. In June and July last year, we have installed 57 camera traps in the sanctuary and the animal population was under surveillance for a month. In August, 37 more cameras were installed in the adjoining areas for 22 days,” DFO (wildlife) Anant Shankar told The Hindu.
During the 2,480 camera trapping days, the officials identified six mammals including fishing cat, Indian golden jackal, rhesus macaque, smooth coated otter, jungle cat and mongoose.
“Among these species, the fishing cat is on the verge of extinction. Our study was aimed at getting the exact number of this species in the sanctuary. We are happy with the results,” he said.
Awareness needed
Making the camera trapping exercise a periodic affair, creating awareness among stakeholders about the importance of fishing cat and promoting sustainable aquaculture farming in the fringes of the mangrove areas are the recommendations made by the team that undertook the census.
