In a recent tally, at least 18 leopards have been found dead in the jungles of Pokhara since the past year. The toll apparently increased since many of the injured and sick leopards could not get timely treatment.
According to the District Forest Office in Kaski, the death toll is rising at an alarming rate since the district does not have a veterinary specialising on the treatment of wild animals.
“Most of these leopards were found dead at separate locations in the district,” assistant DFO Madhav Prasad Baral said, “those found injured or in a sick state died for want of treatment.”
The DFO said that the 18 leopards were found dead between August 2013 and August 2014. The injured or sickly leopards are often found straying out of forests and entering human settlements in search of easy prey.
Few months ago, around half a dozen leopards were found dead in the district within a week. Authorities suspected that they might have died of consuming
poison.
According to the existing laws, a person found to have poached wildlife will be sentenced to two years in jail and fined Rs 10,000.
Forest officials in the district admitted that incidents of wild animals being killed by traps or by feeding them carcasses of domestic animals treated with medicines are increasing of late.
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