Kolkata: A full-grown fishing cat that entered into the bathroom of a villager in Pirpur under Uluberia Police Station in Howrah in the wee hours on Monday was rescued by some wildlife conservationists and safely handed over to the Forest department. Interestingly, the rescue act coincides with World Nature Conservation Day (July 28).
Manasi Dolui, a student of History at Bagnan College, called up wildlife conservationist Chitrak Pramanik about the fishing cat. Some villagers mistook the animal as a tiger cub because of the similarity in looks and were frightened.
Chitrak reached the spot along with one of his friends Sumantra and informed the Forest department. As there was a gathering of nearly 300 villagers, the animal would not come out in the apprehension of being attacked.
The Forest department officials with the help of some local villagers rescued the animal and put it into a cage. A veterinarian was called who examined it and declared it to be fit. The fishing cat was then released in a nearby forest area.
Fishing cat, ‘baghrol’ in Bengali, is included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is declared as vulnerable in IUCN and is supposed to receive the highest conservation measures, like tigers and elephants.