Prey composition and dietary niche breadth of fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) in Kirala Kale Sanctuary, a protected wetland in Southern Sri Lanka

The Fishing Cat is a vulnerable felid that inhabits water-associated habitats in South and Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka, it is categorized as an endangered species, and only a handful of studies have been conducted due to its rarity and the practical difficulties of studying its behavioral attributes. The present study was carried out to identify the feeding preferences and dietary shifts of Fishing Cats through scat analysis. A total of 60 scats were collected using a simple random sampling method along human and livestock trails and gravel roads in the Kirala Kale Sanctuary, covering both pre-rain and post-rain periods. Scats were soaked overnight, washed in a sieve net, and undigested prey remains were separated into different taxonomic classes based on identifiable body parts. A map showing the home range of Fishing Cats was generated using GPS locations of the collected scat samples. Birds (33.65%) were the major prey, followed by mammals (25.96%) and fish (21.15%). The niche breadth (0.54) suggests an opportunistic predatory habit, and the Chi-square test (χ²) indicated that prey composition did not differ significantly between pre- and post-rain periods (p = 0.807). Furthermore, results highlighted that Fishing Cats expand their home range according to prey availability. The presence of macroscopic plastics in scats (n = 2) indicated the transfer of non-degradable matter through prey animals, while unidentified material suggested potential accidental ingestion of illegally dumped garbage in the sanctuary. This study provides crucial insights into the dietary habits of Fishing Cats and emphasizes the need for conservation efforts to protect their habitats.