Baby fishing cat spotted at Newquay Zoo for first time

A baby fishing cat from a vulnerable species has been seen by visitors for the first time at Newquay Zoo.

The kitten was born in February, but its mother Freya has been keeping it out of the spotlight while it finds its feet and begins to eat solid food.

For the first time, both mother and kitten have been seen in the wider enclosure.

What is a fishing cat?

The shy and elusive animal is classed as vulnerable in the wild.

The medium-sized wild cats have a combination of spots and stripes on their fur that provide camouflage for their native wetland habitats of southeast Asia, northern India and Sri Lanka.

Dave Rich, Keeper Team Leader, said: “The number of fishing cats in the wild is declining due to pollution and destruction of their natural habitats – such as swamps, marshes, lakes and mangrove forests – so it is great to be able to help increase the number of fishing cats worldwide, and also introduce people to this lesser-known species.

“Both mum and baby are doing well, and we can’t wait to see it as it grows in both size and confidence, and starts to fully explore the enclosure.”

Once the fishing kitten is a bit older, it will be sexed, chipped and given a name. It will stay close to its mother for the next several months, learning new skills.