Abstract

Wetlands are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems globally, playing a critical role in supporting biodiversity and regulating hydrology. However, they are increasingly threatened by the expansion of aquaculture, agriculture, and urbanization with consequences for species that depend on wetlands for survival and persistence. Here, we evaluate how a sensitive wetland species behaviorally adapts to wetland conversion. We examine the habitat selection of fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus), a wetland-specialist carnivore, in an area fragmented by shrimp ponds, abandoned aquacultural ponds with marshy vegetation, and agriculture. We used integrated step selection functions to analyze movement-based habitat selection of 13 fishing cats and resource selection functions to examine resting-based habitat selection of a subset of 9 fishing cats because habitat selection differences may arise for differing behaviors with implications for conservation and management of species. Results indicate that, while moving, fishing cats selected for shrimp ponds, abandoned aquacultural ponds, and low elevations while avoiding agricultural areas and villages. While resting, fishing cats selected for abandoned aquacultural ponds with marshy vegetation and low elevations while also avoiding agriculture and villages. Although other felid studies have found differences in habitat use and selection between males and females, we found few habitat selection differences between sexes. Our findings demonstrate the resilience of this wetland specialist to some types of anthropogenic landscape change. Encouraging local landowners to let abandoned shrimp ponds naturally revegetate could provide essential refuges for wildlife. Incentives for this conservation strategy would support biodiversity and the persistence wetland specialists in human-dominated landscapes.