Dibrugarh, 22nd December, 2023: In a collaborative effort by the Assam Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and villagers of Abhoypur village in Dibrugarh, successfully reunite three one-week-old jungle cat kittens with their mother.

In a recent incident, villagers of Abhoypur village in Dibrugarh, Assam were shocked to find three Jungle cat kittens while inspecting their soon-to-be-harvested paddy fields. Recognising the need to safeguard the young wild cats, the villagers took immediate action and alerted the Jeypore Forest officials.  In turn, the officers contacted Wildlife Trust of India’s field veterinarian, Dr. Jugal, for his guidance in conducting the rescue and reunion operation.  

Dr. Jugal, Field veterinarian, WTI said, “I was out on field duty when I received the call about the kittens. Situations like these require careful handling, so I detailed the necessary protocols for securing the kittens and initiating the reunion process.”

Adhering to the prescribed protocol, the forest officials carefully secured the kittens and initiated the reunion.  They strategically placed a camera trap at an optimal angle to monitor the situation discreetly, allowing the mother to approach her offspring without disturbance. As the daylight faded into night, a touching scene unfolded when the mother jungle cat arrived, gathered her young ones, and with a silent reassurance, guided them back to their natural habitat.

Representative photograph of a rescued jungle cat kitten under care | Photograph by Madhumay Mallik/WTI

This seamless reunion, orchestrated through the collaborative efforts of the villagers and forest officials, serves as a poignant testament to the invaluable bond between local communities and the wildlife that inhabit their surroundings. 

One of the most common wild cats in India, the Jungle cat, inhabits a variety of habitats like swamps, wetlands, flood plains as well as human-dominated landscapes. As opportunistic hunters, these wild cats primarily target rodents, poultry, and small mammals, often leading to conflicts with humans who rely on their poultry for sustenance.

This species is faced with threats such as hunting for its skin, agricultural and forestry effluents, habitat fragmentation, loss of prey base and human-wildlife conflict. They are listed as Schedule II species under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Know more about the project here.