CWRC, Kaziranga, July 22, 2015 : A full grown male common leopard of around ten years of age was released back to the wild by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) -Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) run wildlife rescue centre CWRC’s Mobile Veterinary Service ( MVS) team along with the Assam Forest Department . The Forest Department had put a trap to catch the leopard, which had been lifting cattle for the past one week at a tea garden near Jamuguri village under Nambor WLS.

The trapped common leopard being brought to CWRC for health a check-up

The CWRC MVS team sedated the animal and took all the steps to monitor the health parameters of the leopard. Dr Panjit Basumatary, the IFAW-WTI veterinarian attending the MVS call said, “The Forest Department asked for our intervention to know the health condition of the trapped common leopard in the tea garden near Nambor WLS. We observed the carnivore for six hours before releasing it. The leopard had a minor injury which will be healed with time in the natural ambience.”

IFAW-WTI veterinarian conducting the health check-up of the leopard

The leopard was taken in a cage carrier vehicle and released at a nearby suitable habitat. It recovered well from sedation and disappeared in the wilderness of Garampani forest area as soon as the trap gate opened.

Davinder Suman, ACF, Golaghat forest division was present during the rescue and release operation of the leopard. The concerned forest authorities will keep a track of the leopard with indirect evidences for identification in the fringes.