Assam Kaziranga
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The carcass of a leopard was recovered in a semi-rotten state from a small tea garden owned by a local youth at Meleng Borguri Handique Gaon in Jorhat district.

The owner of the small tea garden is Bipul Rajkumar.

A team led by forest official Arun Kalita of the Jorhat district forest department took away the carcass after being informed.

It is not known the cause of the leopard’s death.

The leopard has been sent for conducting post-mortem.

It is assumed that it might have been afflicted by some disease.

Also read: Assam: Carcass of leopard recovered under Mariani range in Jorhat

However, the actual cause of the animal’s death would be known only after the post-mortem report is submitted.

It may be mentioned that the carcass of a leopard was recovered on June 6, 2019 inside a drain of Gabhoru Parbat Tea Estate at the Naga foothills under Morongial Beat office of Mariani Range of Jorhat Forest Division.

Sources at the forest department stated that it was an adult male of about six to seven years old and might have died after consuming poisoned substance.

The sources said, a few teeth and nails were reportedly missing

There are three reserve forests and a wildlife sanctuary near the Assam-Nagaland border under Mariani Range of the Jorhat Forest Division, with several tea gardens and a large number of villages located in the periphery of the forests.

Incidences of leopards straying in human inhabited areas from the forests under Mariani Range have been gradually increasing since the past 10 years resulting in conflict with the wild animals.

There have been several cases of leopards being killed or maimed after wild cats picking up and killing cattle of the villagers in the adjoining area.

The sources said that after receiving complaints of leopards straying in human settlements, the forest department usually sets up cages to catch the leopards.

Smita Bhattacharyya is Northeast Now Correspondent in Jorhat. She can be reached at: [email protected]