A male leopard was found dead on a hillock near Bheemunipalle village of Peddavaduguru mandal, 50km from here, on Thursday, April 4.
A couple of youths rearing sheep had spotted the carcass amidst dry bushes atop the hill. Initially, they thought the big cat was asleep and threw stones, only to find that it was dead. Forest officials arrived there upon receiving the information and conducted a preliminary inquiry.
District Forest Officer Vineeth Kumar stated that examining the leopard’s carcass did not reveal any signs of poaching. “All the body parts were intact, and no external injuries were found on the big cat. However, we collected blood samples and the viscera for forensic testing and sent the body for postmortem. The reason for the leopard’s death will be determined after the report is obtained,” he said.
