A fishing cat, Prionailurus viverrinus, has been recorded in restored flooded forest in Pursat province around Tonle Sap Lake. Camera traps captured 46 images of one individual in mid-2025.
The finding is described as a positive sign and a result of more than a decade of conservation and management led by the government, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Environment as focal agencies, cooperating with Conservation International (CI).
Vanessa Herranz Muñoz, head of the Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise (FCEE) and a member of a technical expert group, confirmed that the images show a fishing cat.
She said records of fishing cats in Southeast Asia are very scarce and Cambodia's population is likely small. This is only the second confirmed record in the entire Tonle Sap area and offers hope for the recovery of this water-loving species.
Native to South and Southeast Asia, the fishing cat is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Scientists estimate fewer than 10,000 mature individuals worldwide.
About twice the size of a house cat, fishing cats are mostly solitary, have strong front paws and can swim and dive to catch fish. They also eat rodents, birds and other small animals.
Confirmed Cambodian records are scarce, including Kulen–Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary, mangrove areas, Ream National Park and Boeng Tonle Chhmar Ramsar site, where the first Tonle Sap record was made in 2022.
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Compiled by Chinda Titi.
