MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): A common leopard, injured after falling from a mountain near the Muslimabad village in Muzaffarabad, died despite all efforts, the Wildlife Department of Azad Kashmir said.
Muhammad Hussain, a resident of Muslimabad, claimed to have seen an injured leopard and attempted to save its life. “As soon as I saw it, I could not let go of it. I immediately put my blanket on it so that it could get some warmth. I went closer and tried to lift it, but a part of its body was broken,” the citizen said.
Hussain said that when the leopard could not recover on the spot, he called his friends for help. “With the help of his friends, he put it on a cot and moved it home so that it could be protected from the cold, and immediate help could be provided.”
The citizen said that in the meantime, he informed the police so that the concerned agencies could shift it to the hospital.
Faisal Imtiaz, Development Officer of the Wildlife Department, said that the team left for the village as soon as the information was received. According to him, when the team reached the spot, the leopard was wrapped in a warm blanket in a room.
It was immediately shifted to a vehicle and taken to a medical center, but due to severe injuries, it died as soon as it reached the medical center.
Faisal Imtiaz said that initial observations indicate that the leopard was seriously injured after falling from a hill. A part of its body was broken, and it had become extremely weak due to lying in the snow for a long time.
A post-mortem of the leopard has been conducted, and the final reasons for its injuries will be revealed after receiving the report in a few days.
He praised the compassion of local citizen Muhammad Hussain and said that such examples are very rare, where a common citizen tries to save wildlife by risking his life.
“This act strengthens the bond of compassion between humans and wildlife. If local people take care of wildlife, it can improve a lot. The way Muhammad Hussain lifted the leopard from a difficult place and moved it home, such examples are very rare,” Imtiaz said.
