Two leopards found dead in separate incidents in Uttar Pradesh

Pilibhit/Shravasti (UP): The bodies of two leopards have been recovered from Pilibhit and Shravasti districts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Friday.

In Pilibhit, villagers found a leopard's body floating in a canal in Chudail Banjaria village, within the Mala Range area of the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR), on Friday morning, they said.

PTR Doctor Daksh Gangwar said, "The post-mortem of the leopard's body will ascertain the cause of death."

District Forest Officer (DFO) of Social Forestry, Bharat Kumar, informed that a forest department team was immediately dispatched to the location upon receiving information.

"In the preliminary investigation, it was found that the leopard came into the canal with the flow of water. The forest department is conducting a thorough investigation of the incident," DFO Kumar said.

Meanwhile, a male leopard was found dead in the bushes near the Sohelwa forest, adjacent to the India-Nepal border in Shravasti district on Thursday, according to officials.

Locals from Katholi village, located near the border, informed a foul odour emanating from the bushes while working in the fields, they said.

Upon investigation, they found the animal's carcass and promptly notified the forest department, police, and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), they added.

Forest Range Officer Animesh Verma said, "The body of the male leopard found dead appears to be about a week old." "Prima facie, its age seems to be around five years. But the correct age, actual time of death and cause of death will be confirmed only after the postmortem report," Verma said.

Both incidents are under investigation by the respective forest departments.