Visit The Thailand Fishing Cat Project website here

This project was initiated in 2003 as a response to the perceived (but poorly documented) decline in fishing cat occurrence throughout its South and Southeast Asia region. Although fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List the species receives relatively little species-specific attention from ongoing conservation efforts in Southeast Asia. Few studies have documented the ecology of the fishing cat and its status in the wild remains unclear. However, there is mounting anecdotal evidence that the species may be in a precipitous state of decline throughout most of its historical range. The project has four components, each contributing to fishing cat conservation in Thailandand throughout Southeast Asia. The first of these is a regional review of fishing cat distribution and conservation status involving the compilation of all current and historical data on fishing cat occurrence throughout Southeast Asia. The project’s second component is a detailed ecological study of fishing cats in their natural habitat. This research has been initiated at Thale Noi Non-hunting Area, a 500 km Ramsar wetland area in southern Thailand and the only site in the country where fishing cats have been conclusively documented in the last 10 years. This component of the project will provide biologists with a solid foundation upon which to plan subsequent ecological research and conservation efforts. A third component of the project seeks to take advantage of the project’s live capture component to screen animals for the presence of several emerging zoonotic diseases. Avian influenza, SARS, and other diseases are now significant health concerns for both wildlife and human populations. We work collaboratively with regional partners to ensure that our work contributes to current disease research and monitoring efforts. The fourth project component is education and outreach. Using the activities and results of the project as primary content, we use presentations, posters, and other tools to raise awareness of fishing cats and other wetland dependent species and encourage more sustainable use of the wetland landscapes upon which they depend.