When the famously enigmatic fishing cat hunts in deep water, it keeps calm and stays still. At least, most of the time.
Asia’s Prionailurus viverrinus prowls swamps and marshes at night, searching for fish that could make for a nutritious meal. Depending on how deep the water is, the wild feline switches its hunting strategy to maximize its energy gain, scientists report December 24 in Mammalia.
The report offers “the first detailed look at how the fishing cat hunts,” says coauthor Tiasa Adhya, a Kolkata-based biologist. One of the foremost experts on the species, Adhya in 2010 cofounded The Fishing Cat Project — the longest-running fishing cat research and conservation project in the world.
Just over a decade ago, the fishing cat was among the least-studied wild felines in the world. To raise awareness among local communities and gather data on the medium-sized cat, the project launched the Know Thy Neighbor initiative in 2016. More than 20 people living near three prime fishing cat habitats on India’s east coast — including Chilika, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia — were trained to install camera traps in their respective neighborhoods.
https://www-sciencenews-org.cdn.amp...le/fishing-cat-hunt-fish-india-scientists/amp
Asia’s Prionailurus viverrinus prowls swamps and marshes at night, searching for fish that could make for a nutritious meal. Depending on how deep the water is, the wild feline switches its hunting strategy to maximize its energy gain, scientists report December 24 in Mammalia.
The report offers “the first detailed look at how the fishing cat hunts,” says coauthor Tiasa Adhya, a Kolkata-based biologist. One of the foremost experts on the species, Adhya in 2010 cofounded The Fishing Cat Project — the longest-running fishing cat research and conservation project in the world.
Just over a decade ago, the fishing cat was among the least-studied wild felines in the world. To raise awareness among local communities and gather data on the medium-sized cat, the project launched the Know Thy Neighbor initiative in 2016. More than 20 people living near three prime fishing cat habitats on India’s east coast — including Chilika, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia — were trained to install camera traps in their respective neighborhoods.
https://www-sciencenews-org.cdn.amp...le/fishing-cat-hunt-fish-india-scientists/amp