Angul: The rising number of leopard deaths in the last few months in the State has raised major concerns for the safety of wild animals. As per reports, three leopards have died in past 25 days in separate places in the State.
In the first incident, a carcass of a five-year-old female leopard was found in Kanloi reserve forest, 35 kms away from here, Saturday.
While no injury marks were found on the carcass, forest officials believe that the leopard might have succumbed to some disease. Angul DFO V Kartik said some villagers of Kankuripal saw the carcass of the leopard in the forest and informed Chhendipada forest range officials. Forest officials rushed to the spot and conducted an inquiry.
Similarly, February 5, 2019, forest officials recovered a carcass of a leopard near an explosives manufacturing unit inside a forest in Badamala area of Titlagarh in Bolangir district, informed forester Bhawani Swain.
The leopard was found dead on the premises of an ordnance factory, he added.
Though the exact reason behind the death of the animal is yet to be ascertained, it is suspected the leopard got caught in a trap laid for boar hunting and died. The incident spread resentment among animal lovers after the statement of Bolangir DFO Sameer Sadangi citing it as a ‘natural death’ stirred a controversy.
While a video clearly shows that the leopard was trapped in a wire entangled to a tree, such a statement by the DFO has prompted many to allege that the forest department officials are trying to shield the accused.
Moreover, January 16, forest officials recovered carcass of a leopard. The carcass was found floating in a water body near Mankadchua village under Pallahara Block near Rengali Reservoir in the district.
The matter came to the fore after the locals spotted the carcass and informed the Forest department. The big cat was bleeding from its mouth. While rumours did the round that the animal might have drowned in the reservoir, others suspected it to have been poached and later dumped in the water body.
As per reports, 26 leopards have died since 2013. The 2004 census shows that 487 leopards were present in the State. However, the number has dwindled to 318 in 2016 due to several reasons. Experts have said that as the number of tigers is declining, poachers have been targeting leopards.
“In recent past, there is no seizure of tiger skin. Besides, tiger poaching is difficult these days. Instead skin of leopard is being seized at different places and their demand is growing. The Forest department should take steps to give protection to the wild animals,” said Lala Ashwini Kumar Singh, a tiger expert.
PNN