Killing of rare leopard being probed: official

MANSEHRA: The Wildlife Department officials have seized remains of an exotic species of common leopard shot and killed by labourers working on construction of motorway under CPEC initiatives in Kaim Galli area of Battal reserved forests.

“We have recovered remains of an endangered species of leopard from the camp of a company in Thakra area and begun an investigation under Biodiversity Act to confirm if it was killed in self-defence,” Khursheed Abbasi, the range officer, told reporters on Saturday. He said that labourers working on the motorway fired and killed a three-year-old female leopard and shifted its remains to their camp in Thakra stadium wherefrom a team of his department raided and seized it.

“If this endangered species of leopard has been eliminated without any solid reason, then we will take to justice the labourers involved in it. A team is investigating the entire episode,” said Abbasi. He said the preliminary investigation had revealed that the leopard killed by the labourers injured one Abdul Manan in Sam village of Battal forests. “Under Wildlife Biodiversity Act 2015, anyone killing such species for his personal gain or hunting might be put behind bars for at least two years,” Abbasi added. In response to a query, he said that at this stage, it would be premature to say something as to why the leopard had left his natural habitat but continuous snowfall might be one of reasons for it.