First leopard killing in six months reported from Norton Bridge

By Ifham Nizam

The first leopard (Panthera pardus) death in the current year was recorded from a tea estate in Norton Bridge on Saturday. Naturalist Rajika Gamage told The Island that it was the first leopard killed in six months. He said that despite successful public awareness campaigns by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, traps laid to catch wild animals particularly pigs and other mammals were the prime cause of leopard deaths in the upcountry.Gamage said the leopard deaths usually went up in March, April and May.

Under the instructions of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, the Police have launched an investigation. Meanwhile, the Nallathanniya Wildlife office has found that the leopard was six years old. Post mortem of the animal would be held at the Rantambe Wildlife Veterinary Office.