State Animal: Fishing Cat
Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is the State animal of WestBengal. It is found in most parts of India and can also be seen
here. The native people of West Bengalcall it "maachbagha" or "baghrol".
It is a medium-sized wild cat of South and South-East Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as Endangered Since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted.
The adult animal stands about 40 cm (16 inches) at the shoulder, weighs 8–11 kg (18–24 pounds), and is from 60 to 85 cm long, excluding the black-ringed tail, which accounts for an additional 25–30 cm. The fishing cat lives near water and in jungles, reed beds, and marshes. It is reported to fish by scooping its prey out of the water.
The fishing cat is nocturnal and apart from fish also preys on frogs, crustaceans, snakes, birds, and scavenges on carcasses of larger animals. It is capable of breeding all year round but in India its peak breeding season is known to be between March and May.
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