Ever heard of this species
called the fishing cat? What if I tell you it is currently the most endangered
cat in India, even more endangered than the Tiger. I was surprised when I got
introduced to it and also came to know, it is the state animal of West Bengal.
Prionailurus viverrinus (the fishing cat), is mainly found in wetlands or swamps
and as it name tells, it mainly preys on fishes. They are mostly nocturnal in
nature and have some interesting characteristics. Unlike other cats, it is not
scared of water, but very much at home in it. It has been even seen diving into
it to catch its prey. Their slightly webbed claws help it to swim long
distances, even under water.
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The
elusive cat. Source: http://www.fishingcat.org
Sadly,
this
amazing and elusive species found in mangroves is silently getting extinct
without catching any attention. Habitat loss is the major reason, but even more
is the lack of awareness about it. This is where the story of an unsung hero,
Ashwin Naidu, comes into picture.
Ashwin did his Ph.D. from
University of Arizona and has dedicated his life towards the conservation of
this endangered species along the eastern coast of south India. Ashwin is a
member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group,
and his research interest is in use of non-invasive methods for management and
conservation of wild cat species. During a talk in Hyderabad, Ashwin introduced
the audience to this species and his passion towards its conservation. Along
the coastline of Andhra, he is running one the most successful community driven
conservation program, under the Eastern Ghats wildlife society. In fact, the dedicated
reserve created for this species here is the first community managed reserve in
India.
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Ashwin Naidu
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Ashwin shared the
challenges of his work. First there was very less scientific data available for
this species, which was earlier thought of only found in Western Ghats, but
talking to local communities on eastern side told a different story all
together. Many villagers confirmed seeing this species, so there was a need to
survey the mangrove forests of eastern coastline to actually map the data of
its occurrence. After months of surveying indulging the local communities and
using the techniques of witness data, camera trapping, scat analysis and pug
mark identification, the team was actually able to create a map that gave the
big picture about the occurrence of this cat.
The map is here: http://www.fishingcat.org/our-work-1.html
Identifying cat spoor,
with local people at Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary. Source:
http://www.fishingcat.org/
Second was identifying the
threats and mitigating them. Habitat loss due to prawn and fish farming (aquaculture)
was a major concern, but due to efforts of people like Appa Rao (also called
the Mangrove man) helped a lot to bring back what was lost as the precious
mangrove cover here. Why mangroves are so important, got evident to me after
the talk. They stop soil erosion to sea, they are the walls that protect
coastal villages from storms, they are natural fisheries where so many species
of fish thrive and they are unique habitats where river water and brine meet so
its biodiversity is unique. And the most important is the sequestration
capacity of mangroves, which is 5 times the normal land forest cover. So it
seemed a promising prospect to save the habitat for this species, as in the
process we are achieving much more.
Poaching was another
threat. The cats posed danger to poultry and livestock in villages around the
coastline which resulted in villagers anguish and they mostly hunted them down.
They were also reported to be hunted for meat, sold in market for Rs.250 per
kg. An awareness program where they adopted entire villages and shared about
the importance of this species which was in their backyard. That it was as important
as the tigers and that killing it was a criminal offence. This helped in
sensitizing the communities which now turned protectors for them. They
enthusiastically participate in the surveying efforts and saving their mangroves
habitat. More awareness added when the story of the cat hit the headlines of
“Andhra Jyoti”, a local newspaper and its study was made part of school
curriculums. Better chicken coops and safe place for livestock reduced human
conflicts and added more help to the conservation efforts.
Prospects of Eco-tourism,
around this valuable species, and the scenic and unique mangroves, are also
being considered which could act as a revenue source for the communities and
also motivates them towards conserving these priceless habitats. It was in fact
surprising to me the enthusiasm the local communities have shown for saving
this cat. Mostly they, like other wild animals, are considered nuisance. But
once the people were sensitized about this creature as an asset of their
backyard forest, they showed great enthusiasm and committed to do whatever
possible to save it. That is inspiring and motivating for conservation
enthusiasts around the country, because the best solutions come only through
community driven efforts.
Currently a project for population
estimation is in progress in AP with AP’s forest department and HyTiCoS
(Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society). More details about the entire effort is
available at www.fishingcat.org and www.eghats.com.
How such conservation activities connect to the bigger picture?What can be done more in this important area?
(Written by Gaganpreet Singh, a passionate adventurer and nature lover, working with Microsoft as a Software Engineer. He is also associated with a social initiative 'Joy of Reading' )
References:
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