Vijayawada:For the first time in the country, three fishing cats have been captured and radio collared in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary. One was male and two female. A few more would be done so and their population is to be estimated by the end of 2025.A team of experts from Wildlife Institute of India in collaboration with the AP forest department have taken up a study on the fishing cat, an endangered species that finds its place in the list of Schedule-I animals under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.Experts have taken up a study on the fishing cat’s habitat, range of movement, food habits, scat and are even making an estimate of its population.WII experts from Dehradun, who have successfully captured three fishing cats and fixed radio collars to them, are monitoring their movements and other characteristics.The authorities plan to fix radio collars to a few more fishing cats to keep a track of their movements.The fixing of radio collars has been done to track the fishing cats’ movements for the reason that these animals are entering into the fish ponds in the neighbouring areas and eating the fish on a regular basis. This is causing trouble to the fishermen and villagers raising the fishes in the ponds.With the fixing of radio collars, the authorities intend to sensitise the fishermen and villagers on the movements of fishing cats on a regular basis. This would ensure that they will not lose their fish in the ponds.According to a census carried out in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, as many as 115 fishing cats were present there in 2019. Another estimation of their population is in progress in 2025.Kakinada district forest officer Ravindranath Reddy said, “By the end of 2025, a few more fishing cats would be fixed with radio collars.”The programme on fishing cats was initiated in 2021 to estimate their population and fix radio collars. A part of the funds for this was to be mobilised from the private firms under corporate social responsibility provision. The programme is likely to be completed by the end of this year.
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