Description
Fishing cats are sexually dimorphic (with two distinct gender forms): males are larger than females. They have a short, coarse coat colored gray with light brown, dark brown, or black spots arranged in horizontal rows. Their head is big and broad with six to eight dark lines running from the forehead over the crown and along the neck. The backs of the short, rounded ears are black with white, central spots. The tail is ringed with black. Their coloration offers excellent camouflage. Their paws are slightly webbed, with claws that do not fully retract. Their tail and legs are relatively short compared to their body length.
Status in the Wild
- Listed on Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)
- Listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)
Conservation Programs