Snow leopard shot dead by locals in Swat

SWAT: Villagers shot dead a snow leopard after it attacked a residential area and injured a man in Sar Banda area, Swat, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

As per details, the big cat a was killed by the local, when it injured a man in Sar Banda, Swat. The injured was taken to a local hospital.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) officers reached the site of the incident, after getting the information and were obtaining further information.

On the other hand, the locals of the area said the wild cat eat many animals in the nearby and had also injured score of villagers. It also emerged that two leopards attacked the village, from which one was killed and other ran away towards forests of Upper Dir, after the villagers opened fire.

This remarkable species plays a key role as both top predator and an indicator of the health of its high altitude habitat. Snow leopards are mostly found in mountains areas of Pakistan’s northern areas.

Snow leopards are solitary and elusive creatures that usually hunt at dawn and dusk. They’re stealthy predators, able to kill prey up to three times their own weight.

Snow leopards’ favoured prey are herbivores, such as blue sheep, Argali sheep and ibex. But in many areas, snow leopards also prey on livestock, bringing them into conflict with herders.