Guwahati: Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has emerged as a key habitat for the endangered fishing cat, with its first scientific assessment recording 57 unique individuals — among the highest counts reported from freshwater floodplain ecosystems in India.The assessment, released by KNPTR, found the globally vulnerable species (Prionailurus viverrinus), protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, to be doing well across the park’s wetlands, expanding Kaziranga’s conservation profile beyond its better-known rhinos and tigers.State forest and environment minister Chandra Mohan Patowary shared a promotional video online, writing, “Thrilled to share that Kaziranga recorded over 57 Fishing Cats—one of the highest ever in floodplain ecosystems! The enigmatic ‘Meseka’ from Assamese folk tales symbolises our healthy ecosystems and natural heritage.”The study was conducted by Kaziranga’s Tiger Cell in collaboration with scientist Tiasa Adhya of the Fishing Cat Project, using and analysing camera-trap images from previous All India Tiger Estimation exercises. It aimed to determine whether Fishing Cats are rare or common in Kaziranga and to estimate the minimum number of individuals present. The report was released on Sunday during Fishing Cat Day.“Our findings position Kaziranga as a vital ‘Ark’ for this wetland specialist in the Brahmaputra floodplains,” said KNPTR director Sonali Ghosh.Researchers said the work relied largely on by-catch data from tiger-focused camera traps, which likely underestimated Fishing Cat numbers because the grid size is designed for larger animals. Despite this, the assessment was presented as a baseline for future monitoring of lesser-studied species beyond Kaziranga’s Big Five—Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian Elephant, Asiatic Wild Buffalo, and Eastern Swamp Deer.“The study also sets a baseline for tracking floodplain dynamics, as shifting flood patterns can reshape beels and marshes. The presence of Fishing Cats in large numbers indicates it is an ecological sentinel for Kaziranga,” said Adhya.“Tracking wetland carnivores like the Fishing Cat is essential amid climate change and river modifications impacting freshwater biodiversity,” said Ian Harrison, co-chair, IUCN SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee.
