Leopard admitted to veterinary hospital

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

The leopard found with a gunshot injury in the jungles of Mahakubukwewa in the Gomaramkadawela police area was taken to the Peradeniya Veterinary hospital for further treatment as its condition worsened during the past week, Dr. Suhada Jayawardena of the Wild Life Department told the Sunday Observer.

He said a severe injury had been caused to the animal's spinal cord due to a bullet piercing its shoulder and leaving from the other side of its body. "We cannot say whether the animal will recover or whether it will perish or be incapacitated. The chances are 50-50," Dr. Jayawardena said.

Police Media Spokesman, SSP Ranjith Gunesekera said the leopard was found by a police party in the jungles of Mahakubukwewa with a gunshot injury. "It appeared to be around one-and-a-half-years old measuring up to 4.5 feet in length with a fine texture. The Wild Life Department's officials who arrived at the jungle took the animal to the veterinary section to be treated," he said

Wild Life Department officials took the beast in a tractor and then transported it to the Giritale veterinary office to be treated. They had also brought an iron cage for the purpose, SSP Gunesekera said.

Meanwhile, police are conducting investigations to ascertain whether poachers had tried to kill the leopard to extract its teeth and bones that fetch a heavy price abroad. Statistics show that a number of leopards has been killed in the Wilpattu and Yala sanctuaries by poachers in the past.

Experts said that poaching has reduced the number of leopards up to 75 percent over the past century. Around 500 leopards are believed to be in the jungles of the country.