WILDLIFE

Female leopard's body found

 

COOCH BEHAR, June 3: Tracing the source of an offensive smell the workers of Nimtijhora tea estate in Dooars of Jalpaiguri district recovered the partly decomposed body of a full-grown female leopard today. The body was sent for post-mortem to ascertain the reason of its death.

 

The workers of Nimtijhora tea estate were busy in cleaning of tea bushes at section number 9 of the tea garden at the morning hours of today. During work they smelt something offensive and searched for its source. At last they found the body of a leopard lying in a narrow drain. They immediately intimated the matter to the tea garden management. On being informed the forest department personnel rushed to the spot and the body was lifted from the drain. They identified it as a body of a female full-grown leopard.

 

As the site is adjacent to Nimati Range of Buxa Tiger Reserve (West) it is suspected that the leopard, stated to 10-year-old, was from that forest. No visible mark of injury was found on its body. BTR (W) officials believe it died at least two days ago. An official said that the period from March to June is the breeding period of leopards. Why the female leopard came out from the forest and what were the reasons of its death will be ascertained after post-mortem, he said. []

 

PHOTO : The decomposed body of the female leopard at Nimtijhora tea estate in Jalpaiguri district on Tuesday.