Leopard found dead in Salem

A leopard that attacked cattle in and around villages in Kolathur near Mettur was found dead near the forest on Friday.

For the past two weeks, the leopard that was on the prowl in Pudhuvelamangalam, Vellakarattur, and Karunkadu near Kolathur in Mettur killed cattle and poultry. Farmers demanded to capture the leopard and staged protests. The Forest Department also placed cages and installed cameras to monitor the animal.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the leopard was found dead in Karunkadu forest area. On information, the Forest Department officials reached the spot and recovered the carcass. An autopsy was performed and the carcass was cremated in the forest.

Sources in the Forest Department said it was a four-year-old male leopard, and the cause of its death was yet to be ascertained.

Salem District Forest Officer (DFO) Kashyap Shashank Ravi was not available for comments.

Published - September 27, 2024 08:21 pm IST