Foresters of the Kurseong forest division recovered the carcass of a leopard from Giddepahar, near the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Museum in Kurseong town on Monday.
According to forest officers, the carcass was recovered from the Dhobijhora forest block of the Kurseong forest range. They suspect the leopard, a one-year-old female, may have been chasing prey when it lost its balance and fell nearly 60 feet down a steep slope, dying on the spot.
“Some locals spotted it and informed us. We immediately rushed to the site and recovered the carcass. It has been sent to the animal healthcare centre in Kurseong for a post-mortem to ascertain the cause of its death,” a forester said.
“Over the past few months, the leopard population has increased in the Dowhill, Mahanadi and Giddapahar areas of the Kurseong subdivision. Frequent sightings have been recorded, and scats and pugmarks have been found in some localities. These indicate that a significant number of leopards are roaming these regions. We urge residents to move cautiously and preferably in groups, especially during early mornings and evenings,” the forester added.