A wounded fishing cat, a threatened species, died an hour after being rescued in Harirampur upazila of Manikganj. It was rescued around 8am on Saturday from the bank of a pond beside the house of Awlad Hossain Bhulu in Sarafdingar village.
Awlad Hossain Bhulu, an assistant teacher at the local secondary school, said the cat had already been injured before and that villagers had not harmed it.
Nasir Uddin, a resident of the same village, said three fishing cats had been seen in the area three months ago. The one found dead is believed to be a cub from that group.
Villagers claim the animal likely entered the village while searching for food and fell into danger. They believe more fishing cats may be present in the area.
Assistant land officer Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain visited the spot after learning of the incident. He said that although the animal was rescued alive, it died within about an hour. The matter has been reported to the Forest Department.
Upazila Forest Officer Mohammad Shariful Islam said Forest Department personnel were sent immediately after receiving the report. Necessary samples will be collected to determine the cause of death before the animal is buried.
He added that villagers must become more aware of how to safely rescue wildlife without panic when such animals appear.
