Fishing cat electrocuted in Odisha
KENDRAPARA: A fishing cat was electrocuted in Badamanitira village under Kendrapara forest range on Thursday night. The animal had strayed into a vegetable orchard when it came in contact with a charged iron fence which was erected illegally by someone to protect the crops.
Range officer Gobinda Chandra Rath said preliminary investigation suggests that the fence was put up to stop animals from entering the orchard. It was deliberately charged with high voltage electric current to electrocute animals.
“We have registered a case under section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and are investigating the case. The culprits will be arrested soon,” Rath added.
The fishing cat is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, which means it faces a high threat of extinction in the wild. It is a nocturnal animal and not easy to trace. Apart from fish, these cats also hunt livestock and poultry in villages.