1 of 2 wild cats in Mlang dies

KIDAPAWAN CITY -The Municipal Tourism Officer Mlang, North Cotabato confirmed on Friday the death of one of the two wild cats rescued in a rubber plantation in a remote village hereThursday. Harold Santillan, Mlang Tourism Officer, said the male cat weighing at least 3 kilos died due to infections. Santillan disclosed that the wild cat have already sustained several wounds in the body and in its head when turned over by local officials. It seemed that it was hacked.” Santillan said. Santillan said that the other wild cats is now healthy and temporarily placed under the custody of the Local Government Unit (LGU) along with the rescued Serpent Eagle while the DENR is yet to take custody of them. We already informed the DENR about these animals and we are just waiting for their presence for formal turnover,” Santillan added. Servando Arig, a rubber tapper in Barangay New Consolacion. accidentally discovered these two wild cats while putting acids in his small rubber plantation. But while he was about to get these animals a bird from top of the rubber plants hit him. It was a Serpent Eagle that fell to the ground. I ran because I thought a witch attacked me, Arig said. Arig described the bird as aggressive, however, he was able to catch it since it was trapped between the files of twigs. Near the place where the bird was trapped, he also found two wild cats sleeping. While carrying the bird he also grabbed the wild cats and voluntarily surrendered it to their village officials who facilitated the turnover of these animals to the LGU officials. Santillan described the eagle as violent while the wild cats were very tame. We will temporarily take custody these animals while we are facilitating the turnover to the DENR,” Santillan said. Santillan said it is not the first time that concerned citizens turned over to LGU endangered animals they accidentally found in their communities. The tourism officer disclosed that in March and May last year, three Serpent Eagles were found near the Liguasan Marsh periphery. A family of tarsiers was also found in the forested lands last year. Mayor Joselito Pinol said people living near the Liguasan Marsh are already aware that they should not harm endangered animals found in their surroundings. We already educated them to let these animals move freely and not to harm them,” Mayor Pinol said.