Decomposed leopard carcass found in Kalapat Reserve Forest

The Forest Department officials recovered a decomposed carcass of a female leopard at Kalapat Reserve forest in Keonjhar while monitoring elephants' movement on Friday.

The age of the leopard was estimated to be around 1.5 years, and she would have died about 20 days ago. 

A dedicated elephant monitoring squad ventured into the forest to observe the activities of 22 elephants on Friday. During the operation, the officials spotted the body of the big cat.

The Forest Department clarified that the dead leopard's skin and claws were intact eliminating the chances of poaching. 

However, the cause of its death would be determined when the post-mortem report is out.

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"We suspect there are 2-3 potential angles to investigate, one of which may involve criminal activity, while natural infighting among animals could also be a factor,” Dhamdhere Dhanraj Hanumant, Divisional Forest Officer of Keonjhar stated. 

Keonjhar DFO further added, “Given that the leopard died approximately 20 days ago and its body has significantly decomposed, we will conduct forensic toxicology and forensic entomology analyses to determine whether there is a disease affecting other members of the cat family."

During this year's census, six leopards have been reportedly dwelling in the Kalapat Reserve area. 

These recent findings of the remains of such animals emphasize that it is an uphill battle for the wild in that area as they see their homes get increasingly eroded by humans and climatic activities.

The forest department continues to be vigilant in monitoring wildlife and protecting them while emphasizing the importance of maintaining a balanced ecosystem for both flora and fauna.

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