Research overview: wetland dependence and habitat specialisation in fishing cats

Fishing cats are tightly bound to wetlands, with partially webbed feet and fish-catching behaviour that make them among the most habitat-specialised felids and therefore acutely vulnerable to wetland loss. This overview synthesises ecology and distribution research on their reliance on marshes, mangroves, reed beds and waterways across South and Southeast Asia, and how this specialisation governs their occurrence in human-modified landscapes from paddy fields to urban canals. It examines the conservation implication that protecting and restoring wetlands is the central lever for the species survival. The synthesis frames wetland dependence as both the fishing cat ecological signature and its principal liability near cities.