Estranged snow leopard brought to Central Zoo

Lalitpur, Jan 25: An injured snow leopard that was rescued from Urlabari, Sunsari in the eastern Tarai region has been brought to the Central Zoo at Jawalakhel here. The male snow leopard was found hiding in a bamboo bush at Charghare, Urlabari on Tuesday.

The Division Forest Office, Mangalbare, Morang, the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, the National Trust for Nature Conservation and the Area Police Office, Sunsari together rescued the wild animal and brought it to the Central Zoo on Wednesday, said Sham Kumar Shah, the Information Officer at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation. 

Shah said that the snow leopard limps on its front right limb and no wounds are seen in its exterior body parts. He said otherwise the animal is in a normal state.

According to him, it is unusual to find snow leopards in the tropical plain region, at an altitude of 143 meters from sea level, which is the habitat of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Snow leopards inhabit the mountainous region from Kanchanjangha in the east to Api Nampa in the west of the country. It is found in places from an altitude of 2,000 meters to 6,000 meters from the sea level. The snow leopard is found in 12 countries in South Asia.  (RSS)