A fishing cat has died after being caught in an electric trap set to kill rats in a paddy field in Gournadi, Barishal.

The upazila forest officer visited the spot on the morning of 18 November after being informed, and the fishing cat was then buried.

Several residents of Dhurial village said the fishing cat was found lying dead in the morning in a paddy field belonging to farmer Ataur Rahman of the village. As news spread, curious crowds gathered for a look. An electric wire had been set around the field to kill rats.

Farmer Ataur Rahman said he had put electric wire around the paddy field to save the crop from rats, and kept the power switched on at night. In the morning he went to the field and found the dead fishing cat tangled in the wire.

Gournadi upazila forest officer Manindra Nath told Jago News that the fishing cat had probably come there in search of food. It died after being caught in the electric trap in the paddy field and was later buried.

He added that the animal is not harmful to people or to cattle and goats. Snakes, fish and ducks are its main food, and it lives around human settlements. Fishing cats are important for the balance of biodiversity, and the forest department will take steps to raise public awareness so that no more die in electric traps.

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