Lost leopard cub reunited with mother
- 6 years ago
A 13-week-old leopard cub was found wandering around near a farming village in India.
Thanks to the efforts of local wildlife services it was swiftly reunited with its mother.
Over the years, the wild cats of Maharashtra, west-central India, have suitably adapted to habitat modification and have moved out of the shrinking forests, and into the dense sugarcane fields. Female leopards have found these fields a suitable shelter for giving birth and rearing their cubs.
Locals have attempted to avoid any conflicts. But on Tuesday afternoon one of the cubs wandered away from its siblings and ventured into the area.
A farmer spotted the helpless young leopard outside his sugarcane field and fearing that he might incur the wrath of the mother leopard, rushed to alert the Forest Department.
Range Forest Officer Manisha Bhinge immediately reached out to the Wildlife SOS team operating out of the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center in Junnar for their assistance.
A four-member team led by Wildlife SOS senior veterinarian, Dr. Ajay Deshmukh drove to the village located nearly 90km away from the rescue centre, accompanied by a team of forest officers.
The team carefully placed him in a safe box and installed a remote-controlled camera trap to document the reunion process, while monitoring the area from a distance.
After hours of waiting, the large female leopard finally emerged from the neighbouring forest to find her cub safe and sound.
Thanks to the efforts of local wildlife services it was swiftly reunited with its mother.
Over the years, the wild cats of Maharashtra, west-central India, have suitably adapted to habitat modification and have moved out of the shrinking forests, and into the dense sugarcane fields. Female leopards have found these fields a suitable shelter for giving birth and rearing their cubs.
Locals have attempted to avoid any conflicts. But on Tuesday afternoon one of the cubs wandered away from its siblings and ventured into the area.
A farmer spotted the helpless young leopard outside his sugarcane field and fearing that he might incur the wrath of the mother leopard, rushed to alert the Forest Department.
Range Forest Officer Manisha Bhinge immediately reached out to the Wildlife SOS team operating out of the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center in Junnar for their assistance.
A four-member team led by Wildlife SOS senior veterinarian, Dr. Ajay Deshmukh drove to the village located nearly 90km away from the rescue centre, accompanied by a team of forest officers.
The team carefully placed him in a safe box and installed a remote-controlled camera trap to document the reunion process, while monitoring the area from a distance.
After hours of waiting, the large female leopard finally emerged from the neighbouring forest to find her cub safe and sound.