The wetlands are vitally important to the fishing cat because the wetlands protect the water quality and mitigating floods and draught, and also provide protection from tropical storms. A main site for fishing cats is at the mouth of the Ganges River. It is called the Sundarbans. It attracts lots of fishing cats as well as humans because of the plentiful supply of fish. Because fishing cats are found here they are known as an indicator species. This means that their presence in a certain area indicates that an ecosystem is operating at its highest quality.
Biologists over the past century have plotted the presence of these cats throughout Asia. They have learned that the species have several separate populations that have no connection between them. It is believed however, that they could have been connected during the Pleistocene era, which had sea leavels that were 289 feet lower than they are today.
Fishing cats are found today on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java. Sumatra and Java used to be connected by a land bridge called the Sunda Straits but water has now separated the two. It is puzzling however that there are no fishing cats found on the island of Borneo which was also once connected to Sumatra and Java. Even more strange is that they are absent from the Malaysia Peninsula which is just below Thailand and which has a strong population of fishing cats.
The population is also found in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In both these places they are restricted to the forests and grasslands of the Himalayas. There are a couple of isolated populations that are found in well watered habitats nested in the tropical dry forest of northern India (16).
Is pollution a problem for fishing cats? The Ganges river is the most polluted and garbage filled river in the world. Is there presence there killing them?
ReplyDeleteBecause there are scattered populations of fishing cats, are some better off because of location?
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting that you mention none were found in the island of Borneo. Do you think it's possibly because it's not a wetland environment?
ReplyDeleteIts interesting that the wetlands provide protection from storms. I never thought about that. Since the Ganger river attracts humans because of the fishing, does that put the fishing cat at risk of death?
ReplyDeleteSo the fishing cat can not live anywhere else but a wetland area?
ReplyDeleteHailey-pollution has been a huge problem for the cats because they mostly rely on fish for their diet. The fish are poisoned by the pollutants and the fishing cat then becomes sick after having ate the fish
ReplyDeleteKate- It was a puzzeling question to researchers as to why the cats only live in certain areas. They are mostly found in wetlands, but there are some wetlands that would be excellent homes for these cats but they are not found there
Stephanie- Borneo definatly has some wetland areas that is why it is so puzzeling to researchers as to why they dont live there
Bek-Humans and the fishing cat are constantly fighting for the fish population. Obviously the cat is at a disadvantage because ti can catch about one fish at a time while we as humans can catch multiple fish at a time.
marissa- The fishing cat really has to live in a marshy envioronment because its diet is mostly fish. Marshy areas provide calmer waters for the cat to catch the fish so yes i would have to say the wetlands are vitally important to the cat
Can fishing cats live by rivers where fish live?
ReplyDelete