Fishing cat rescued, released in Lawachhara

The wildlife department yesterday released a fishing cat in Lawachhara National Park in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar, a day after it was rescued from Rajnagar upazila of the district.

The cat was hurt while being captured from the store of one Bahar Ali in Rajnagar Thursday afternoon, said Tabibur Rahman, assistant conservator of wildlife under the forest department.

 "After giving primary treatment, we have released it to the forest," he told our Moulvibazar correspondent.

Bahar Ali along with his family has taken shelter to a nearby embankment as floodwaters have yet to recede in the upazila.

"Finding the house abandoned, the cat might have taken refuge there," said Tabibur Rahman said.

"Following this year's flood in the district, many endangered species have lost their habitats and now they are coming to the locality," he said adding that they are also coming under attacks of local people.

"We rescued and released another wild cat this morning as well," the conservator said.

Mihir Kumar Doe, divisional forest officer of wildlife and conservation department of the Forest Department, said that they rescued the fishing cat Thursday afternoon and released it to the lake area of Lawachhara National Park yesterday.

The fishing cat, which was once common in the country, is now a vulnerable species, he told our Moulvibazar correspondent.