The leopard rescued from the forests near Nangal early Sunday died late Monday in the Chhatbir zoo.

Overdose of tranquilliser appears to be the cause of death, and there were also signs of critical internal and external injuries on the animal. The role of the Forest Department team, from capture to dropping the animal at the zoo, is under scanner.

After autopsy at the Zoo hos- pital on Tuesday afternoon, samples of the leopard's organs will now be tested at Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.

The department had rescued the female leopard, aged about one, from the forests close to Village Brahmpura near Nangal and brought it to Chhatbir the same day. The zoo official wait- ed for the animal to awaken from induced sleep, but it died in the unconscious state around 2.30 am.

A panel of three doctors con- ducted the autopsy. The report based on the post-mortem exam- ination suggests the animal died of internal bleeding, primarily.
The doctors noticed an exter- nal 1-inch gash on the upper spinal region of the animal.

Internal bleeding is likely to have resulted from the stone and lathi blows that the leopard took in its conflict with villagers. The injured animal moved its limbs slight- ly under the semi-conscious state on Monday, but failed to sit up.

The zoo staff offered it beef, chicken, live rooster, and milk, but it did not relish any of it and lay exhausted. It did pass stool and urine once in captivity.
MANY ERRORS ...
It appears the team from the Department of Forest and Wildlife in Ropar that captured the Schedule 1 animal did cause it harm during handling.

A 1-1 ml solution of ketamine and zylazine was enough to sub- due the animal, but the team injected 4 ml of it into the leop- ard's body. Even the antidote administered in the zoo after four hours was to be given to it soon after capture in the forests.

The antidote had lost impact many hours later and the animal failed to revive, say sources in the department. The res- cue team included no veteri- nary doctor.

The tranquilliser was past its date of expiry and an untrained villager shot it into the animal, while warden Balwinder Singh stook idle. The animal with damaged spine was hung on the shoulders of a man.

Contrary to the claims of the forest team, the animal did suf- fer critical injuries in the zoo.
When contacted, Punjab Chief Wildlife Warden Jatinder Sharma said: “The autopsy report mentioning the cause of death is yet to reach my table.“
Hence the International Organisation for Animal Protection - OIPA in India confirmed that Leopard was killed by the officials, so FIR should be lodged against all concerned for the violation of the section 9 read with 51 of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and 428-429 / 120-B, it is further intimated that Veterinary council be intimated for suspension of registration of the concerned Veterinarian as well.
The concerned SHO of Police station be treat it as a complaint and CWLW Punjab treat it as a notice u/s 55 of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.

Naresh Kadyan,
Representative of the International Organisation for Animal Protection - OIPA in India,
Master Trainer, Animal Welfare Board of India,
C-38, Rose Apartment, Prashant Vihar,
sector-14, Rohini, DELHI - 110085.
Mobile...9813010595.