Leopard Cats

Keijenglang

Rain keep falling since day before yesterday.

Early morning : Ride down to Thoubal (28 km. approx.) with my friend Bapin. Rescued 3 cubs/kittens of the species Leopard Cat (Keijenglang in Manipuri) abandoned in the adjoining area of a river and forest in Thoubal District. They were sheltered by a widow there in her house giving them milk in a feeding bottle. Her daughter, a young girl, passionately looked after these cuties day and night for about a week since the abandonment. Parting time was a bit emotional moment for her.

The curious thing about the affair is, more women than men were more interested and attracted towards these beuties. This was evident from our various stops on the way back. First stop was at Keishamthong Market where people thronged to see them. Here more women seems particularly attracted.

Finally, on reaching my place, almost all women and girls came rushing, some touch them, some hold them lovingly, some pose for photographs by their mobilephone cameras. Some of the more hardcore women even bring away and show the cuties to the nearby neighbours.

(Some of them even came the day after but they were shifted already then! - Added)

They were handed over to the Authorities of Wildlife Wing, Forest Department today, with due credit to the widow & her daughter at Thoubal, in tandem with the concluding function of the one-week long celebration of the 55th Wildlife Week, held today at the Manipur Zoological Garden, Iroishemba. As part of the celebration, certificates and prizes were also distributed amongst the winners of the Essay, Drawing and Photography Competitions on Wildlife. Got two prizes in the Wildlife Photography Competition - 1st Runner Up in Mammals & 2nd Runner Up in Birds category respectively.

Rain is falling still. A flood is predicted.