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FISHING CAT (Prionailurus viverrinus)
The second largest of the wildcats of Sri Lanka, it is the size of a pariah dog. It has black spots in a parallel stripe-like formation on a grayish body. Five black stripes on its forehead and a relatively short tail with black markings distinguish this cat. With partially webbed feet they are good swimmers and are often found around but not restricted to wetlands, where they feed on fish, crustaceans, small reptiles and mammals. These hardy cats have been known to prey on domestic livestock as well.
Distribution: Throughout Sri Lanka, Northeastern India, Southeast Asia and small populations on the Indonesian island of Java.
Status: Endangered
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