Press Release
25 October, 2026, 03:45 pm
Last modified: 25 October, 2026, 03:49 pm
A rescued fishing cat named Alfie has been released with a satellite collar after recovering from a severe jaw injury, allowing researchers to monitor its movements and study how it uses tea estates and surrounding wetlands.
The male fishing cat was rescued by the Bangladesh Forest Department from northern Bangladesh in February 2026 and transferred to the Jankichara Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, according to the press release.
At the time, Alfie weighed just 5kg and was unable to feed properly because of its injury. Following intensive veterinary care and rehabilitation by the Creative Conservation Alliance (CCA) team at Jankichara, it recovered and increased its weight to more than 12kg.
CCA subsequently partnered with Ootterbhag and Indanugger Tea Estate, where a soft-release enclosure was built to help Alfie become familiar with the surrounding habitat.
After eight weeks in the enclosure, the cat was fitted with a 200g satellite collar, weighing less than 2% of its body weight, and released within the tea estate. Wetlands surrounding the estate provide suitable habitat for fishing cats.
The enclosure was an important part of the rehabilitation and release process. Rescued animals moved to unfamiliar locations may attempt to return to the places where they were captured, crossing roads and settlements and potentially encountering the same conflicts that led to their rescue.
Keeping Alfie at the release site for eight weeks was intended to allow it to become familiar with the habitat before the enclosure was opened.
However, this work remains at an early stage. More information is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn about how reliably the approach works.
Bangladesh is an important range country for the fishing cat, a wetland-dependent species increasingly affected by habitat loss and conflict with people. Rescued fishing cats are often released without rehabilitation or subsequent monitoring, leaving their survival and movements unknown.
The satellite collar will enable researchers to track Alfie's post-release movements and better understand how translocated fishing cats use landscapes modified by human activity.
The tea estate's participation also highlights the importance of conservation beyond protected areas. Tea estates in north-eastern Bangladesh lie within a mosaic of wetlands that provides vital habitat for fishing cats, making working tea gardens important settings for efforts to protect the species.
Tracking data will help researchers understand how Alfie moves through the tea estate and uses the surrounding wetlands. That information could inform future conservation efforts within tea gardens and similar landscapes.
The work was carried out in partnership with Ootterbhag and Indanugger Tea Estate, the Bangladesh Forest Department, Ritsumeikan University, SCOPE Foundation's Project Fishing Cat and the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance.