Leopard with severe spine injuries rescued by Maharashtra Forest Dept.

A grievously wounded female leopard was rescued by the Maharashtra Forest Department from the Pathardi region in Ahmednagar district which is situated in the Tisgaon Forest Range.

As the condition of the feline was serious, she was rushed to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar, run by Wildlife SOS in collaboration with the State Forest Department.

On examining the animal closely, it was found that the leopard was eight to nine months old and an X-ray by the veterinarians revealed injuries on its cervical vertebrae (the neck area of the spine). She is unable to walk due to the severity of the injuries and is being administered medical treatment by the Wildlife SOS veterinary team. The cause of injury is yet to be determined.

Talking about the feline, Dr. Chandan Sawne, Veterinary Officer, Wildlife SOS said: “We are providing physiotherapy to the leopard as it is unable to move. The animal is not able to consume anything at present, due to which we are administering fluid therapy and providing vitamin supplements along with a course of antibiotics.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO of SOS said: “We are grateful to the Maharashtra Forest Department for saving the life of the injured leopard with their timely intervention and for entrusting us with its treatment and care.”

Maharashtra ranks third in India in terms of leopard population and these felines are threatened by habitat encroachment, fragmentation caused by roads and highways, and lack of awareness among locals.