Lakhimpur, Dec 27 (PTI) In a suspected case of poaching, the carcass of a young leopard was recovered from Kishunpur sanctuary in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, a forest department official said here today.
The carcass of a four-year-old young male leopard was recovered late last evening in Ambargarh beat of the sanctuary, field director Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) Shailesh Prasad said.
As the carcass was found entangled in dense shrubs and there were creepers all over it, initially it was presumed that the big cat died after getting caught in the shrubs.
However, the recovery of a metal wire from inside the creepers made the park authorities suspicious, Prasad said.
After the recovery of metal wires, which could not be sensed with metal detectors, the authorities are carrying out a probe from all angles, Prasad said after visiting the spot.
Deputy director of the park Sanjay Kumar Pathak said all vital organs of the body such as skin, jaw, paws, nails, etc.
were found intact and the carcass has been sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, for an autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Authorities fear that the leopard died due to a poaching attempt, as on July 31 poachers had attempted to kill a leopard with an iron trap.
However, the patrolling staff managed to prevent the endangered animal from being killed though it sustained some injuries in its foreleg, Pathak said.
He said some persons have been apprehended and raids were being carried on to nab the culprits.
The field staff in entire Dudhwa Tiger Reserve has been alerted to keep a close vigil on the movements of protected animals, Pathak said.
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