CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -This individual peeks out of mangrove forests of the Godavari delta in Andhra Pradesh. Photo by Pranav Tamarapalli/Wikimedia Commons. Fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) are medium-sized wild cats that owe their names to their eating habits.

Detailed explanation-2: -The fishing cat lives foremost in the vicinity of wetlands, along rivers, streams, oxbow lakes, in swamps, and mangroves. The fishing cat is the state animal of West Bengal.

Detailed explanation-3: -A rare variety of fishing cat has been located in the Bhitarkanika National Park, thanks to an initiative of the Odisha Biodiversity Board (OBB). The fishing cat is included in the Schedule-I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Detailed explanation-4: -IUCN Red List: Vulnerable. Despite multiple threats, the Fishing Cat was recently downlisted to “Vulnerable” from “Endangered” in the IUCN Red List species assessment.

Detailed explanation-5: -A video on the world’s first fishing cat census at Chilika lake. The Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, has 176 fishing cats, according to a census conducted by Chilika Development Authority (CDA) in collaboration with The Fishing Cat Project (TFCP).