Kanpur: A grown-up male leopard was found dead on the outskirts of Etawah on Monday evening, said forest department officials. Its body was stuck between two branches of a tree when the villagers spotted it. “The forest department team had to cut the branches to bring the body down,” said forest ranger Hari Kishore Shukla. He added that the body has been sent for autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of its death.
Based on prima facie evidence, officials suspect that the feline might have got stuck between the two branches while trying to hunt its prey. The leopard probably couldn’t find room to wriggle out.
Notably, the Muraung village of Badhpura block -- where the incident has taken place -- has a good leopard population, according to locals. Further probe is underway into the incident.