A fishing cat kept in a cage with its cub at the home of a former union parishad (UP) member in Patuakhali has been rescued and released into the reserved forest of Majher Char in Galachipa.

The upazila administration, the forest department and members of an animal welfare organisation carried out the operation at noon on Saturday 25 November, rescuing the fishing cat from the home of former UP member Abdul Barek in Naluabagi Badura village of Golkhali union.

Present were Galachipa Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohiuddin Al Helal, range officer Jahangir Hossain, Sohel Hossain Rasel, Albert Naim and Ahsan Howlader of the organisation Animal Lovers of Patuakhali, and forest staff member Naim Khan.

UNO Mohiuddin Al Helal urged people not to kill wild animals but to inform the local administration and the forest department. There are laws to protect wildlife, he said, and he also called on people not to capture and keep wild animals anywhere.

The UNO gave a reward of Tk 1,000 to the person who reported that the fishing cat was being kept in a cage.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.