Fishing Cat
Posted on August 24, 2008
Fishing Cat - the feline hunter of Asia’s wetlands who likes to swim and has semi-retractable claws. A true depiction of the variety in the world of cats.
Fishing Cat is another unique example of the great abilities and
diversities of the cat family. Found in a range extending from
Indochina, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and Java it inhabits
mainly water bound areas including rivers, mangrove swamps, creeks and
thickets up to a height of five thousand feet.
Somewhat similar
to other wild cats of this size, the Fishing Cat has a broad head,
short tail and sturdy built. Coat is marked by dark spots that may form
stripes over spine. Ears are short and round while the nose is of a
flattened appearance. Feet are somewhat webbed that enables the Fishing
Cat to maintain a degree of traction on slippery muds, though it is now
believed the webbing is not of any extraordinary extent. Claws are
semi-retractable - again probably an adaptation for a greater hold on
the surface. Size varies according to the distribution of the felid.
The Indian Fishing Cat is bigger with length around four feet and
weight approximately twenty five pounds, whereas the Indonesian cats,
in the southeastern part of the cat’s overall global range, are smaller
with an average length of three feet and weight nearing twelve pounds.
Prionailurus
Viverrinus, the Fishing Cat is a hunter mostly of aquatic animals,
specializing in fish, frogs, mollusks and snakes. At the same time it
does not spare terrestrial prey including rodents, deer, goats, dogs
and even small wild boars! The opportunistic cat has also been known to
go after birds and kills of other predators.
Solitary cats , they
come in unison for mating primarily. Pregnancy lasts around two months
after which a litter of one to five kittens is born. They are weaned
off after half an year at the most and gain independence after one year
of age. Lifespan is generally around ten to twelve years in captivity.
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Tags: aquatic animals, broad head, cat family, diversities, felid, fishing cat, gain independence, global range, indochina, kittens, mangrove swamps, pakistan india, retractable claws, solitary cats, surface size, thickets, thousand feet, true depiction, wild boars, wild cats
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