Leopardess dies after falling in open well

A pregnant five-year-old leopardess died of her injuries after being rescued from an open well in a village in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district on Thursday, officials said.

According to veterinarians, there were possibly two litters in the womb. The leaopardess was rescued by the state forest department and animal welfare organisation Wildlife SOS.

The animal was brought to the Wildlife SOS' Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar where it was kept under observation.

"The critically injured leopardess was kept under observation but despite all efforts to provide treatment, the animal died due to severe stress and internal bleeding," said a statement from Wildlife SOS.

The well was nearly 40 feet deep and located on private property bordering a vast sugarcane field.

"The leopard had injured herself while trying to stay afloat which eventually led to internal bleeding," said Ajay Deshmukh, a senior Veterinarian at the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre.

According to reports, hundreds of leopards died by falling in open wells in Maharashtra in the past few years.

--IANS

kd/pgh/vt