Gurugram: A two-year-old female leopard was found dead on the Gurugram-Faridabad road early Saturday morning, prompting urgent appeals from wildlife experts for protective infrastructure for animals in the region.
The leopard was discovered around 6.30 am, approximately one kilometre from the Pali police post on the Faridabad side.
“As per the preliminary investigation, it looks like an accident. The leopard was bleeding profusely, and it appeared that a head injury is the cause of death, but the autopsy will reveal the exact details. The injury indicates a high–speed collision with a heavy vehicle as the probable cause,” divisional forest officer (DFO) of Gurugram Ramkumar Jangra said.
A postmortem will be conducted by a team of doctors on Saturday.
Similar deaths have occurred in recent years, including an eight-month-old female leopard killed on the same stretch in 2015, and a 12-year-old male leopard struck near Manesar.
Environmentalists argue that the road slices through a vital wildlife zone, bridging Asola Sanctuary and the Aravalli Hills, a key leopard habitat. They are demanding the construction of wildlife crossings—overpasses, underpasses, or elevated road sections—so that animals can move safely across without encountering traffic. “A dedicated wildlife corridor must be created across the road. Such infrastructure would protect wildlife and commuters,” a local environmentalist Vaishali Rana said.
The fatal collision spotlights the rising necessity to reimagine how infrastructure intersects with natural habitats. Without swift action, similar tragedies involving wildlife are likely to persist.
{{/usCountry}}The fatal collision spotlights the rising necessity to reimagine how infrastructure intersects with natural habitats. Without swift action, similar tragedies involving wildlife are likely to persist.
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