Pregnant leopard killed in road accident on Mumbai’s Western Express Highway

A 3-to-four-year previous feminine leopard recognized as L98 was discovered grievously injured in a highway accident on the Western Express Highway (WEH) close to Kashi Mira, Bhayander at round 12.30 am on Sunday, and subsequently succumbed to accidents.

The leopard was one-month pregnant with three foetuses, stated forest officers.

According to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) director and conservator of forest G Mallikarjuna, the injured leopard was rescued by an SGNP workforce and delivered to the ability’s leopard rescue centre.

“However the leopard succumbed to its injuries during treatment at 2.15am. A post mortem was conducted by a team of veterinarians at SGNP on Sunday afternoon where the leopard was found to be pregnant with three foetuses,” stated Mallikarjuna.

The autopsy revealed that the reason for dying was largely in all probability as a result of collision with a car. “It was due to strong mechanical impact (probably vehicular origin) causing multiple hemorrhages, multiple fractures, and muscular damage resulting in hypovolemia (life threatening condition due to high blood loss) and respiratory arrest,” added Mallikarjuna.

Wildlife biologist from Wildlife Conservation Society Nikit Surve, who has been yearly assessing leopard numbers in and round SGNP, stated L98 was first photographed in October 2018 at Ghodbunder village after native residents had noticed the animal.

“Early last year, the leopard was spotted on the opposite side of the road near Kashi Mira, Bhayander, which showed that she had successfully crossed. Also, just about seven days ago, the leopard was spotted in one of our camera traps near Kashi Mira. However, it is extremely unfortunate that she met with the accident probably while crossing the road on Sunday because it is not easy for animals to understand oncoming traffic. It is even more disheartening that she was pregnant,” stated Surve, including that leopards don’t cease looking or motion until the second they cease to provide start.

Dr. Shaliesh Pethe, senior veterinarian, SGNP stated the gestation interval for a leopard is three months. “This leopard was one-month pregnant. Externally (photographs) one can identify that a leopard is pregnant only within the last 15 days before she delivers,” he stated.

SGNP and peripheral areas are dwelling to not less than 47 large cats that embrace the transient inhabitants transferring between SGNP into surrounding landscapes, in accordance with a 2019 estimation by Surve and SGNP. Data from SGNP, NGO Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) and Mumbaiikars for SGNP revealed that 19 leopards had been killed round SGNP, most of them on the Western Express Highway and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS) from 2008 to 2018.

“Unless we provide adequate mitigation structures (under or overpasses) on roads, railways and canals, we will lose most of our large mammals to linear infrastructure, very rapidly,” stated Anish Andheria, president, Wildlife Conservation Trust.

An earlier evaluation beneath the ‘Mumbaikars for SGNP’ initiative in 2013 revealed that 40 leopards died in highway accidents alongside the periphery of SGNP from 1994 to 2012.

“Over the last two years, accident cases with animals have reduced as road widening work is underway on the WEH. Owing to less traffic during Diwali, vehicles were moving at a faster speed that led to this unfortunate incident. However, we have suggested several mitigation measures along this route, and we are trying to expedite their construction with project proponents as early as possible,” stated Mallikarjuna.

Apart from the incident in Mumbai, one other leopard was killed in a highway accident on Saturday close to Satara on the National Highway four that connects Pune and Bengaluru. The nation recorded 83 leopard deaths in prepare and highway accidents in 2019, the best in a decade, in accordance with the Wildlife Protection Society of India. Of these, 73 had been killed in highway accidents and 10 had been run over by trains. Also, there had been a 278% rise in such deaths as a result of highway and rail accidents from 2010 to 2019.