Leopard found dead in Bor Sanctuary
A month after a leopard was poisoned to death in Hingni Forest Range, another full-grown leopard was found dead near Juninadi nala, outside the Bor Wildlife Sanctuary.
By Vijay Pinjarkar, TNN |
| Leopard found dead (TOI Photo) |
NAGPUR: A month after a leopard was poisoned to death in Amgaon (Khadki) in Hingni Forest Range in Wardha territorial forest division, another full-grown leopard was found dead in Bori beat in compartment number 238 near Juninadi nala, outside the Bor Wildlife Sanctuary, 80 km from here. (Watch: Stray leopard hounded to death in AP)
The body of the animal was first noticed by a shepherd Champatrao Sitaramji Kowe at 4 pm on Friday inside the bushes where he had gone to search his missing buffalo. Champatrao immediately intimated the Bor Sanctuary officials through tourists Makarand Hadap and Ranjit Shastri, who were on way to the Bor Sanctuary.
Round officer, Bor, D T Choudhary, rushed to the spot with some forest guards and found carcass of the female leopard around 300 metres inside the bushes from Juninadi nala on Garamsur road.
The body of the leopard was completely putrefied and was beyond recognition. It's suspected that the animal, about 5 years, must have died eight days ago.
"Prima facie, it looks to be a case of natural death. The skin and nails of the leopard were intact. However, we suspect that the leopard must have died in a fight with the tiger. It's a tiger spot and an encounter between the two animals cannot be ruled out. The hair of the leopard were scattered all round the place, indicating that the animal was dragged to a distance after being killed," said Choudhary.
Choudhary also did not rule out the possibility of a fight between two leopards over mating. There are reports of leopard sighting around Bor Sanctuary. According to last year's census, there is a record of five tigers and three leopards in Bor Sanctuary. However, most of these animals keep moving in and outside the sanctuary.
"What the forest official claims could be true as we had sighted a leopard on Tuesday and Thursday at Bhulaidoh and Kolshyadoh inside the sanctuary. Besides, the spot where the leopard was found dead is a tiger destination and in peak summer, many tourists have sighted tiger at Juninadi nala," said Ranjit Shastri, a tourist who had intimated the forest officials about the leopard carcass.
However, when contacted, sources said, retaliation from villagers also cannot be ruled out as farmers adjoining Bor are a worried lot due to movement of wild animals assaulting humans and crops. Recently, a leopard was poisoned to death in Amgaon, 16 kilometres from Bor, after foresters failed to check its menace.
The body of the animal was first noticed by a shepherd Champatrao Sitaramji Kowe at 4 pm on Friday inside the bushes where he had gone to search his missing buffalo. Champatrao immediately intimated the Bor Sanctuary officials through tourists Makarand Hadap and Ranjit Shastri, who were on way to the Bor Sanctuary.
Round officer, Bor, D T Choudhary, rushed to the spot with some forest guards and found carcass of the female leopard around 300 metres inside the bushes from Juninadi nala on Garamsur road.
The body of the leopard was completely putrefied and was beyond recognition. It's suspected that the animal, about 5 years, must have died eight days ago.
"Prima facie, it looks to be a case of natural death. The skin and nails of the leopard were intact. However, we suspect that the leopard must have died in a fight with the tiger. It's a tiger spot and an encounter between the two animals cannot be ruled out. The hair of the leopard were scattered all round the place, indicating that the animal was dragged to a distance after being killed," said Choudhary.
Choudhary also did not rule out the possibility of a fight between two leopards over mating. There are reports of leopard sighting around Bor Sanctuary. According to last year's census, there is a record of five tigers and three leopards in Bor Sanctuary. However, most of these animals keep moving in and outside the sanctuary.
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Later, a panchnama was done under supervision of a veterinary doctor from Selu and the leopard was buried."What the forest official claims could be true as we had sighted a leopard on Tuesday and Thursday at Bhulaidoh and Kolshyadoh inside the sanctuary. Besides, the spot where the leopard was found dead is a tiger destination and in peak summer, many tourists have sighted tiger at Juninadi nala," said Ranjit Shastri, a tourist who had intimated the forest officials about the leopard carcass.
However, when contacted, sources said, retaliation from villagers also cannot be ruled out as farmers adjoining Bor are a worried lot due to movement of wild animals assaulting humans and crops. Recently, a leopard was poisoned to death in Amgaon, 16 kilometres from Bor, after foresters failed to check its menace.
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