Summer Hill Leopard Tragedy: Cause of Death revealed

COLOMBO (News 1st); The final report of the committee appointed to investigate the death of a Sri Lankan Leopard at the Summer Hill Estate in Hatton was submitted to Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife, and Forest Resources Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera on Thursday (25).

The report notes that the Leopard was hanging from a tree for several hours after it entangled with a wire set up for a snare in the Summer Hill Estate.

The Investigiation revealed that as a result the Leopard's interal organs were severely damaged leading to its death.

The report also noted that the Leopard was not crushed under the tree it was hanging from, after it was cut down.

The committee had made 25 recommendations to the Minister in the report in order to protect and conserve the Sri Lankan Leopard population.

Sri Lanka's Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife, and Forest Resources Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera called for an investigation on the death of a Sri Lankan Leopard in the Summer Hill Estate in Hatton, a day after the incident was widely reported on local media.

The Minister on 8th August said that an immediate investigation will be conducted into the death of the Leopard, and if proven that the death was a direct result of negligence on the part of the Wildlife Officers, necessary disciplinary action will be taken against them.

The Leopard was discovered trapped in a snare set up for wild boars in the Summer Hill Estate which is part of the Wanarajah Tea Estate in Hatton on 7th August.

The Leopard had managed to somewhat break free from the Snare, however, its body was entangled with the snare wire, and it had later managed to climb onto a tree.

Locals had seen the leopard hanging from the tree on and informed the Wildlife Officers.

Wildlife Officers launched a rescue operation immediately upon arrival, however, the Leopard died after the tree it was hanging on to was cut down, it was reported at the time.