IWMB’s wildlife rangers search for cubs of dead leopardess

Islamabad: The wildlife rangers of the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and officials of the AJK Wildlife Department are searching for the cubs of the female leopard that succumbed to injuries after an attack by a hunter in Muzaffarabad.

According to the details, the IWMB wildlife rangers reached Muzaffarabad on Wednesday met with local villagers, and tried to find locations where cubs were last seen with their mother leopard. They also used camera traps and assisted the officials of the AJK wildlife department during their search for cubs of leopardess that was killed by the hunter near River Neelum.

The information provided by the officials of the AJK Wildlife Department, the leopard cubs stay with their mother for approximately two years, during which time they learn to hunt.

They leave their mother’s side and live a solitary life only when they develop wild instincts and learn the art of hunting. Leopard cubs are born weak, vulnerable, and entirely reliant on their mother, only able to fend for themselves after years of practice and protection.

The wildlife experts say the cubs of female leopard are now extremely vulnerable and there is no one to ensure their nourishment and protection. They said the cubs need to change locations every couple of days to ensure they are hidden from potential predators.

The IWMB chairperson said the local people had earlier seen the leopardess moving along with her cubs that were believed to be six to eight months old. “It means the cubs are not able to survive without their mother because they never know how to hunt and even survive in open forest or jungle,” she said.