To a charismatic rescue: Designing a blueprint to steer fishing cat conservation for safeguarding Indian wetlands

Wetland conservation in the Indo-tropics can benefit from the protection
of the charismatic Fishing Cat. India, supporting ∼ 40%
of its known range, is a stronghold for the species. Here, using multiple
information sources we outline a framework to safeguard fishing cats in
India. Specifically, we a) estimated district-level Conservation priority
scores (using presence records, and habitat suitability and habitat
connectivity) to identify ecologically important habitats, b) estimated
state-level Conservation likelihood scores assessing the success potential
of any conservation intervention, c) collated district-level Conservation
initiative information identifying ongoing efforts for species and/or
habitat conservation. We consecutively assessed the spatial congruence
between (a), (b) and (c) to delineate species’ conservation areas
and corresponding action goals (blueprint). Using information on habitat
suitability, we also delineated survey landscapes. Although Fishing Cat
records were found in 12 Indian states, only a small proportion of the
state area was identified harbouring optimal habitat for the species.
Three broad habitat clusters - Terai arc, Eastern coast, and Brahmaputra
floodplains - were identified, with overall high habitat connectivity.
Most districts ranking high in Conservation priority scored low in
Conservation likelihood. Districts with Fishing Cat presence
(n = 60) were delineated into four tiers of action
landscapes and the majority of districts classified as survey landscapes
(n = 156) were found in the Terai arc. We use our
results to recommend and discuss conservation actions for districts
identified in our blueprint. Flagship species conservation approach has
substantial potential to enrich wetland conservation, for which our
blueprint can act as a baseline.