CHITRAL: A snow leopard was found to have sustained injuries in its rear part in Rabat area of Arkari valley and shifted to the veterinary hospital, Chitral, on Friday by the officials of Pakistan Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (PSLEP) and the wildlife department.

PSLEP project manager Shafiqullah Khan told this correspondent that the wild animal was spotted in injured condition by a villager in Rabat valley in the highland while it was staggering downward to the village.

He said that the man rushed to the village and went back along with a number of villagers who stopped the leopard from entering the village.

“The villager then informed us on which men were sent to the area who got hold of the leopard without using any tranquiliser as it was too feeble to resist,” Mr Khan said.

He said the animal had been shifted to the veterinary hospital, Chitral city.

Mr Khan said that the animal’s rear body seemed to be paralysed which meant the injury had been caused due to its collapse from a hillock while chasing its prey.

The leopard is said to be of adult age and that it had not been spotted in any part of the district for the last four years.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2021