MANSEHRA
The wildlife department has caught a month-old leopard cub in Khalian village.
Deputy divisional officer (wildlife) Khursheed Abbasi said the cub had come down from the nearby natural habitat of Ghanool forests in Kaghan valley due to heavy snowfall.
He said Azizur Rehman had reported the big cat’s presence in his Khalian village prompting the department to send a team there to seize it and shift it to Dodial.
“We have begun caring for the feeble leopard. It will remain under special care until it’s in good physical shape,” he said.
Mr Abbasi said the department had yet to decide about whether to release the leopard in the forest to reunite with family or not.
He said the high mountains, natural habitat of leopard, had received record snowfall in a decade triggering fears about mass displacement of the wildlife, especially in Kaghan, Sirenand Konsh valleys.
The official said heavy snowfall had forced the rare species of pheasants, including Khalij, Koklass and Monal, to temporarily shift from high mountains to plains in Hazara division to prevent adverse effects of harsh weather.
this story was first published in Dawn, February 6th, 2019