A fishing cat, locally known as mechobagh or forest cat, was escued from a house in Ufapur village of Kalaroa upazila in Satkhira.
The animal was caught in a trap around 2am on Sunday at the residence of Alamgir Hossain Sardar.
House owner Alamgir Hossain Amin said ducks and chickens had frequently gone missing from their house and nearby homes. Villagers initially suspected foxes. As a result, they set a large trap beside a chicken coop on Saturday night. After hearing noises in the early hours, family members went outside and found a fishing cat trapped inside. Neighbours were informed, and the animal was kept confined.
He added that although poultry had been disappearing for a long time, the exact animal responsible was unknown. The capture of the fishing cat caused panic among villagers, though the animal had not harmed any humans so far.
Following the news, hundreds of people from nearby villages gathered at Alamgir Hossain’s house to see the animal.
Kalaroa Upazila Livestock Officer Dr KM Abdullah Al Manun said the fishing cat is not an endangered species. Therefore, there may be more fishing cats in and around the village. If released in nearby woodland, the animal would be able to rejoin others of its kind.
Satkhira Forest Department official Maruf Billah said that upon receiving the information, he immediately sent forest department assistant Mohammad Ali to the site. With the help of local representatives and police, the fishing cat was rescued and released into a nearby forest.
