Injured leopard rescued from AJK dies in Islamabad

An injured leopard rescued from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) passed away at Islamabad’s veterinary clinic, announced the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB).

As per details, the leopard was rescued from Hatila Balla in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and was transported to a veterinary clinic in Islamabad for better medical treatment, where X-ray images showed severe spinal injures and several bullet wounds.

Despite efforts by the medical team, the predator died to his severe injuries.

The rescued leopard reportedly weighed 63 kilograms and was around 6 and half years of age, the IWMB spokesperson said.

Leopards pay a critical role in maintaining the ecological balance in its habitat. However, in Pakistan they face huge threats, from habitat loss, to encroachment usually for real estate, retaliatory killings by angered farmers and illegal hunting.

The world’s fastest land animal is found in the mountainous regions and forests of Pakistan. Their population has been in sharp decline for years now due to human-induced activities.

While conservation efforts have attempted to protect the leopards and their habitats, it is not on a scale needed to prevent the beautiful animal from going extinct.

Back in April, a Persian leopard was found at the Nani Mandir, located in Hinglaj, a town in the Lasbela district of Balochistan province.

The predator was located by a pilgrim visiting the temple inside the Hingol National Park along the Balochistan coast.

This Persian leopard is locally known as “phulang” and is native to Hingol National Park.