Kendrapada, Mar 19 (UNI) A four-ft-long fishing cat, an endangered species has been spotted inside the Ekakula Island of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary.

The fishing cat, included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), was first seen by some tourists yesterday who later informed the forest officials.

Rajnagar Division Forest Officer A K Jena and other forest officials rushed to the site and spotted the rare species, whose numbers in the state had been declining due to habitat loss. The Bhitaknaika National Park, however, is the home of about hundreds of fishing cats.

Mr Jena said the fishing cat was the biggest ever noticed in the Bhitarkanika National Park. Of the 11 species of small cats in India, six species were seen in Orissa. Bhitarkanika National park has three species of small cats namely the Leopard cat, Fishing cat and Jungle cat.

The DFO said the fishing cat is strongly associated with wetlands and found in swamps and marshy areas, oxbow lakes, reed beds, tidal creeks and mangrove areas.

Normally, the young fishing cat become independent at the age of ten months and lives on an average for 12 years. Fishes are the most frequent prey of the fishing cat besides, other water-associated prey.