Assam’s iconic Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has emerged as a bastion of the endangered fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus), with a first-of-its-kind scientific assessment finding a thriving population of the wild feline across the wetlands of the protected area, according to a statement.
The Tiger Cell of Kaziranga, in collaboration with Tiasa Adhya, Scientist-Fishing Cat Project, assessed the camera-trap images available from past All India Tiger Estimation data. They wanted to determine if fishing cats are rare or common in the park, and to estimate minimum individuals present.
The scientists identified a total of 57 unique individuals across 450+ sq km, indicating a healthy, reproducing population widely distributed throughout the Tiger Reserve.
“The study which largely relied on by-catch data arrived at this number, which is likely to be an undercount, as the data is based on camera trap grid size placed for tigers. However, it also provides a good methodology for setting up baseline studies for lesser-known species other than the BIG FIVE,” the statement read.
The report was launched during Fishing Cat Day celebrations in Kaziranga on February 22, 2026.
The cat is one of few felids adapted for aquatic hunting. The feline is a globally Vulnerable species and faces threats from habitat loss and hunting, with disappearances noted in Vietnam and Java. South Asia holds its global core population, tied to lowland river basin wetlands. It is protected under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
“Our findings position Kaziranga as a vital ‘Ark’ for this wetland specialist in the Brahmaputra floodplains,” said Sonali Ghosh, director, Kaziranga Tiger Reserve.
“Optimal habitats include wet alluvial grasslands, shallow beels (oxbow lakes), wet meadows, and woodland refugia that aid flood survival. The study establishes a baseline for monitoring floodplain dynamics, where flood changes could alter beels and marshes and the presence of fishing cat in large numbers indicate it to be an ecological sentinel for Kaziranga,” reiterated Adhya.
“Tracking wetland carnivores like the fishing cat is essential amid climate change and river modifications impacting freshwater biodiversity,” noted Ian Harrison, Co-Chair, IUCN SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee.