The authorities of Bengal Safari, North Bengal Wild Animals Park are planning to introduce captive breeding programmes for fishing cats.
As part of the celebration of the 72nd week of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the park is organising seven day-long different programmes on fishing cats beginning on Wednesday. An event was organised ' Run for a cause, Fish lesser cats under threats, save our state animal, save fishing cats.'
The species is listed as 'vulnerable' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.
The park houses two fishing cats - Bhupen and Yangchen brought from Garchumuk and Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling respectively. The park authorities are now planning to bring one more pair either from Garchumuk or Sepahijala Zoological Park in Tripura.
The park authorities organised a signature campaign, an 8 kms marathon.
The nocturnal animal thrives in wetlands. India has achieved the remarkable feat of doubling the tiger population in 2018 itself, 4 years ahead of the targeted year 2022, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav informed that the model of success of India's tiger governance is now being replicated for other wildlife like the Lion, Dolphin, Leopard, Snow Leopard and other small wild cats, while the country is on the threshold of introducing Cheetah in its historical range.The Minister was speaking at the 4th Asia Ministerial Conference on tiger conservation, an important event for reviewing progress towards the Global Tiger Recovery Programme and commitments to tiger conservation.
The Minister further informed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the budgetary allocation for tiger conservation has increased from Rs 185 crore in 2014 to Rs 300 crore in 2022 and informed that 14 Tiger Reserves in India have already been awarded with international CA|TS accreditation and efforts are on to bring in more Tiger Reserves under CA|TS accreditation.
Speaking on the frontline staff and community, the Minister said that our Frontline staff constitutes an important pillar of tiger conservation and hence we have extended Rs 2 lakh life cover to each contractual/temporary worker under e-Sharm,a recent initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and Rs 5 lakh health cover under Ayushman Yojana.
( With inputs from ANI )
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