EnvironmentThursday, 26 February 2026·The Hindu
Kaziranga records 57 fishing cats in India’s first scientific survey of the species
Kaziranga National Park recorded at least 57 unique fishing cats in a first scientific assessment across the Brahmaputra floodplains.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In February 2026, Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam recorded at least 57 unique fishing cats across more than 450 sq km in India’s first scientific assessment of the species in the Brahmaputra floodplains.
Key specifics
- The survey used camera-trap “by-catch” images originally collected for tiger monitoring.
- The study covered more than 450 sq km of wetland and grassland areas inside the reserve.
- Fishing cat is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN and is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Assam and is known for two-thirds of the world’s endangered one-horned rhinoceros population.
- The assessment was done by Kaziranga’s Tiger Cell with scientist Tiasa Adhya of the Fishing Cat Project.
Exam lens
Question type: environment and protected areas; remember Assam, 57 fishing cats, 450 sq km, Schedule I, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. TNPSC may ask which park is a UNESCO site and a stronghold for the fishing cat.