ISLAMABAD: Yet another leopard was killed in a village in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) chairperson Rina S. Khan Satti said.
In a series of tweets, she said a mob of 200 villagers killed the wild cat in Jhelum Valley’s Hattian Bala.
“Heartbreaking news: yet ANOTHER common leopard killed today in Azad Kashmir by villagers. A mob of 200 attacked leopard who came near village & killed animal mercilessly,” the chairperson tweeted.
The cruel villagers of Hattian Bala, Jhelum Valley AJK killed this beautiful leopard today! Police came but it was too late! We will hardly any have common leopards left in Pakistan at this rate! pic.twitter.com/G0jdKTbNTB
— Rina S Khan Satti (@rinasaeed) February 8, 2022
The AJK wildlife was not informed about the presence of the wild cat in time, she pointed out, terming the incident “unacceptable”.
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“200 villagers ganged up against one leopard. Someone called AJK wildlife at 7 am. Villagers could have hidden in their homes. By time AJK wildlife arrived at 9 am villagers had killed the leopard! Why couldn’t they have waited?,” Ms Satti said.
A rare leopard was last month found seriously injured in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK). The predator died during treatment.
Read: Wounded leopard found in Muzaffarabad, dies
The injured female leopard was shifted to Islamabad from Muzaffarabad due to her severe wounds. X-rays showed five to six riffle pellets in the body of the leopard, the board added.
The body of the predator was paralysed due to the riffle pellet that hit her spinal cord. The medical team operated upon the leopard to save her life, but the wild animal could not be saved.
