Asian Fishing Cat - Five Sisters Zoo

Individuals have a greyish or brown coat with black spots and stripes. They have two stripes on their cheeks, two above their eyes, which extend to the neck, broken lines on the forehead, and six or seven dark, incomplete bands on their back. They have white marks around their eyes, lips, chest and abdomen. They have a long, narrow head, a pink nose, short and muscular limbs, and a short, stubby tail.

Facts

  • Diet: Carnivores
  • Weight: 5 to 14 kilograms
  • Length: 85 to 115 centimetres
  • Habitat: Forests and wetlands of South and Southeast Asia
  • Lifespan: In the wild, they can live up to an age of 12 years

Adapted to Survive

  • Their claws protrude slightly even when retracted.
  • They have a compact, dense layer of fur right against the skin, which prevents water from reaching the skin and keeps it warm.
  • Their long bodies help them wrestle large fish out of the water.
  • Their narrow heads help them to ambush their prey!
  • Two layers of fur that help keep them warm and camouflage them in their habitat.

Threats

  • Habitat loss occurs through the destruction and degradation of its wetland habitat.
  • Human-animal conflict: urban encroachment, pollution and logging
  • Habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting for meat, human–wildlife conflict and wildlife trade are causing fishing cat populations to decline.

IUCN Conservation Status

Vulnerable

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