Home / Environment / Wild Leopard Kills Zoo Leopard in Shocking Breach
Wild Leopard Kills Zoo Leopard in Shocking Breach
3 Sep
Summary
- Wild leopard entered a zoo enclosure and killed an aged captive leopard.
- Post-mortem revealed the captive leopard died from fight injuries.
- Zoo officials cited a gap in the fence as the entry point.
An aged captive leopard, Sheru, was killed within its enclosure at the Himalayan Nature Park in Kufri on August 8, following a breach by a wild leopard. The intruder animal was later tranquilized and released back into the wild on August 9.
On August 30, a post-mortem report confirmed Sheru's death was due to injuries from a struggle with another animal, ruling out natural causes. Investigations revealed the wild leopard entered the enclosure through a gap in the iron fence, which has since been repaired.
Wildlife officials believe the wild leopard was attracted by the scent of a female leopardess, Bandit, housed with Sheru. The aged Sheru was unable to defend himself against the younger, wilder male.
The Himalayan Nature Park's location adjacent to forest areas in Mashobra, Chail, and Shimla increases the risk of such incidents. Sheru had been under the care of the Forest and Wildlife Department since 2007 after being rescued as a cub.
