Report shows leopard died of head injuries

Islamabad : A post-mortem examination showed that male leopard died due to head injuries and excessive blood loss after falling off from thick forests of Malkandi National Park on the Kaghan Highway in Mansehra.

The report prepared by Dr. Neelam Pervaiz, Veterinary Officer and In charge CVD Mandian (Abbottabad), stated that male common leopard was five to six years old and belonged to ‘Felidea’ species. The pathological findings of the report revealed that there was blood in the abdominal cavity and lungs were found congested. The doctor also found blood clots in chest and stomach full of blood. A small wound was on the leopard’s head, which could possibly be caused by wood. There was no bullet wound on the animal’s body.

Deputy Ranger of the Kaghan Wildlife Farhan Tariq said that the leopard was taken to the Dhodial pheasantry in an ambulance of the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) and every possible effort was made to save his life, but due to critical head injury, he went into a coma. An official has informed that Kamalban in the Malkandi forest is located eight miles on the western slopes of Kaghan and it heavily populated forest of leopards and black bears. “Bears were causing harm to the crops and young trees due to which killing a bear was a big game. There was a reward for shooting down a bear from forest officer as well as the peasants. But now the situation has changed and efforts have been made to protect crops and wildlife animals as well,” he said.