Sunny Priyan
Unlike most cats, fishing cats are excellent swimmers and hunt primarily in water.
They have partially webbed toes that help them paddle through wetlands and catch slippery prey.
Fishing cats primarily feed on fish, along with hunting frogs, crustaceans, and birds.
They are mostly active at night and are rarely seen, making them one of India's more mysterious wild cats.
Fishing cats depend on mangroves, marshes, and wetlands, which are ecosystems increasingly threatened by human development.
Fishing cats are listed as 'vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List. They are protected under Indian law but still face serious conservation challenges.