Leopard Found Dead in Nilgiris Forest

speedy Summary

• A leopard was found dead in the Adhigaratty Beat of the Kundha forest range, Nilgiris forest division, on Saturday evening.
• The carcass was discovered on a private tea estate.
• A post-mortem examination was conducted by veterinarians on Sunday in the presence of Forest Department staff and members of local NGOs as per National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocols.
• Officials stated that the probable cause of death was in-fighting with another carnivore.
• On Friday, an additional leopard carcass was also found in the Nilgiris forest division with similar injuries consistent with territorial conflict.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The back-to-back deaths of leopards in the Nilgiris forest division raise concerns about increased territorial strife among apex predators in this ecologically sensitive area. While natural deaths due to conflicts are not uncommon, their frequency could indicate rising competition for resources like prey or habitat. This highlights potential anthropogenic pressures such as habitat fragmentation from human activities like agriculture or tea plantations. Given NTCA protocols’ involvement and local NGO participation during investigations, transparency efforts have been commendable so far. Continuous monitoring and strengthening conservation-focused policies are necessary to mitigate such conflicts.

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