Fishing cat rescued in Lucknow’s Sarojini Nagar
A large crowd had gathered around the animal that was found hiding in a tree, said divisional forest officer. Fishing cats resemble leopards, but are much smaller in size
LUCKNOW A fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) was rescued by the Awadh forest division at Leela Khera in Sarojini Nagar on Thursday following reports of sightings of a leopard-like creature in the area. This species has been listed as vulnerable on the Red List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2016.
On reaching the location, the rescue team identified the animal as a fishing cat. A large crowd had gathered around the fishing cat, and the animal was found hiding in a tree, said Ravi Kumar Singh, divisional forest officer (Lucknow). The rescue team was led by range officer of Sarojini Nagar Shaukat Ullah Khan.
Fishing cats resemble leopards, but are much smaller in size, and they are usually found in forests near water bodies like ponds and river banks. They are a nocturnal species and prey on frogs, crustaceans, snakes and birds, and also carcasses of larger animals.
The rescue officials had to clear the crowd before successfully bringing the animal down from its hiding spot. The adult fishing cat, when rescued, was released into the Kurouni forest range by the Sarojini Nagar rescue team.