The future of a 10 month old female leopard cub, which was sent to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) from Nashik after it was found injured in a road accident seems to be tense as chances are that the once free living cub could end up living in a cage forever.
The leopard was found injured after it allegedly was hit by a vehicle on near Agas khind village on the Sinnar-Ghoti Highway after which the Sinnar range forest department rescued the leopard and kept it under observation, however as its health deteriorated it was sent to SGNP for proper treatment.
"We kept it under constant observation and even carried out an X-ray and there has been no internal nor external injuries found and now she is perfectly fine and is eating her food and showing no signs of any concern," said Veterinary Officer, SGNP, Dr Shailesh Pethe. However when asked about her release he said that he could not comment on the issue as the leopard was brought by the Sinnar forest officials it was they who would take the decision about what was to be done.
Meanwhile a senior forest official said that a cub depends on its mother till the age of two to two and half years and since this cub is around a year old it cannot be released in the wild unless its mother was found. "Releasing this cub would be dangerous for its own life as well as for humans as either it will be killed while trying to explore a new territory or will be end up causing a conflict situation," he said.
Meanwhile wildlife experts said that this case also showed the need for proper wildlife Veterinarians with forest departments. "The cub should have been treated at Nashik itself and after proper diagnosis release at the earliest rather than shifting it so far to SGNP," said a wildlife activist.
