A mother jungle cat and four cubs have been beaten to death by some local people in Chuadanga Sadar upazila.
The mother took shelter inside the kitchen of expatriate Billal Hossain’s house with the cubs at Dinnathpur village in the upazila recently.
After spotting the jungle cats, Billa’s wife Nuri Begum informed her neighbours.
Local people beat the jungle cats to death and buried them, said Bakhtiar Ahmed, president of Care For Unclaimed Beast, a local voluntary group.
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Mohammad Mohsin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chuadanga Sadar police station, said no complaint was lodged in this regard.
Zakir Hossain, district forest officer, said: “We were informed of the tragic incident and we are preparing to file a case in this regard under the Wildlife Conservation Act 2012 after visiting the spot.”
The photos of the dead jungle cats shared on social media have sparked reactions among animal lovers, environmentalists and they demand exemplary punishment for the crime.
The jungle cat, also known as reed cat or swamp cat, is native to the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and southern China. Its scientific name is Felis Chaus.
This medium-sized cat usually inhabits wetlands like swamps, and littoral and riparian areas with dense vegetation. However, they have become endangered in Bangladesh due to the reckless destruction of their habitat.