CityNews – Chiang Mai Zoo has acquired two endangered fishing cats from Songkhla Zoo in southern Thailand.
Photo: Weerasak Panyachod.
The male and female, both around one year old, are now on display to the public as the construction of their living area has been finished.
Fishing cats are found in South and Southeast Asia, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. They can look similar to domestic cats but are larger and can swim and dive, as well as climb trees.
They eat fish, as their name suggests, but also insects and small animals such as crabs, frogs, birds, mice and shellfish. They have an average lifespan of 20 years, and are protected due to the risk of extinction.
Meanwhile, staff at the zoo said the recent cool weather has been affecting some of the animals there. They have recently cut tree branches to allow more sunlight through, and have started fires and kept spotlights on at night to allow the animals to keep warm.
Each morning, the elephants are let out to bathe in the sun. Poultry have been vaccinated against avian influenza.
The zoo is expecting more visitors during this cool season, and especially this weekend, which staff expect to be busy with visitors enjoying the nice weather.