Leopard Found Dead in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Territorial Fight Suspected

Bagaha: A leopard carcass was discovered on Monday evening near the Madanpur forest area in Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) Forest Division-2. The remains were spotted by a forest department patrol team, who immediately notified officials.

A team led by Brajendra Kumar, the in-charge of the Madanpur forest area, arrived at the scene along with foresters, workers, and biologists to investigate the cause of death. Early findings suggest the leopard may have died from injuries sustained in a fight with another leopard. Evidence of a struggle was found near the site, where traces of the clash between the two big cats were visible. The injured leopard reportedly died some distance away, with officials estimating the death occurred three to four days earlier.

A post-mortem examination will be conducted on Tuesday in the presence of senior officials, which is expected to confirm the exact cause of death. This is not an isolated incident; previous cases of fatal clashes between leopards and tigers have been frequently reported in the reserve.

Valmiki Tiger Reserve is home to approximately 150 leopards and 59 tigers, and rising numbers have led to increased reports of territorial conflicts between the animals.