Dibrugarh: A female adult leopard died after being hit by a speeding vehicle in the Ghoorania area of Tingkhong in Dibrugarh district on Thursday evening.The incident occurred at around 6.20pm when the leopard was attempting to cross the road flanked by tea gardens on both sides.
Locals discovered the injured animal lying on the roadside and immediately alerted the forest department.
Forest officials rushed to the spot and transported the critically injured leopard to Khowang veterinary hospital. However, the animal succumbed to its injuries shortly after arrival. “The leopard died soon after being brought to the hospital due to the severity of injuries sustained in the collision,” a forest official said.Officials confirmed that a post-mortem examination will be conducted on Friday to determine the exact cause of death and document the injuries for record purposes. The forest department has also urged motorists travelling through the area, especially during dawn and dusk when wildlife activity peaks, to exercise caution and reduce speed to prevent similar tragedies.The incident has drawn attention to the presence of multiple leopards in the Tingkhong area. The forest department revealed that three to four leopards have been spotted in the area in recent times which has caused alarm among local residents and tea garden workers.“We have spotted 3-4 leopards in the Tingkhong area, and efforts are underway to catch them with the help of iron cages so that they can be released far away inside deep jungles, away from human habitation,” a forest official stated.The official added that the department is working to minimise potential conflicts between wildlife and humans by relocating the big cats to safer locations where they would be less likely to encounter vehicles or populated areas.The Tingkhong region, characterised by extensive tea plantations interspersed with patches of natural habitat, has increasingly become a corridor for wildlife movement. Leopards often venture into these areas in search of prey, particularly when their natural habitats face disturbance or food scarcity.
