Leopard Saved in a Marathon effort in Mussoorie

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Leopard Saved in a Marathon effort in Mussoorie

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Forest Department Mussoorie division under the able leadership D.F.O Arup Kumar Bannerjee recipient of Prime Minister Award for excellence in the field of  forest protected area and Dr Parag Nigam from Wild Life Institute celebrated ‘Gandhi Jayanti’ and ‘Wild Life Week’ by saving a life of  3 year old female leopard caught in “Maal Jhan” (local name) Vine in a gorge of a dense forest near Galogi powerhouse, Mussoorie today. The D.F.O Mussoorie division Arup Bannerjee reached the spot after receiving tip-off from some laborers working nearby that a leopard was growling in the area at 9<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />.30 a.m. today. The D.FO Arup Bannerjee sensing the gravity of the situation called for assistance from Wildlife Institute Chandrabani. The WWI team led by Dr. Parag Nigam (The saviour of Rajah Leopard) was rushed to the spot that reached by 10.00 A.M. The forest team accompanied by helpers Devendar Thakur,Ranger Ilam Singh and K.C. Nautiyal and other staff first tried to locate the animal. The terrain to the bereaved leopard was broken from several points making it difficult for the forest personal to reach the location. Meanwhile DFO called in for the assistance from ITBP academy  around 2.00 P.M Director Academy IPS K.B. Singh readily agreed and ordered best Jawans 12 in number led by S.I. Gopal Chand, 6 commandos and 4 instructors to the spot. 

 The Team of ITBP, Forest Department and WWI institute working as a cohesive unit reached the spot with the help of ladders and the survival equipment brought by ITBP. The Rescue efforts became more difficult with the leopard hearing the voices tried to break free and fell into deeper gorge entangling itself further in the vines.

DEHRADUN, 2 Oct: A timely call by labourers working at the Gaguli Power Station, near Mussoorie, saved the life of a trapped leopard.
The three-year-old female leopard narrowly escaped from the jaws of death after it fell into a deep gorge here. “The incident was reported to us at 10 a.m. As the state forest authorities had no trained veterinarians, they sought WII’s help,” said Parag Nigam, scientist at the Wildlife Institute of India, who accompanied the team of rescuers.
Due to a treacherous pathway, the rescue operation dragged on till 8 p.m. The rescue team included DFO, Mussoorie, Arup Bannerjee, SDO SP Sharma, forest guards, ITBP personnel and locals.
“Before we could immobilise the leopard with a tranquiliser, getting to the trapped leopard itself proved problem for the rescue team,” he added.
With no approach road, the forest guards and the ITBP personnel made way for the team, clearing bushes on the steep slope. The leopard, measuring 186 cms in length, is assumed to have strayed and fallen into the gorge looking for water. “Most probably, it had gone there to quench its thirst as there was a water body nearby,” he said.
The rescue team also faced difficulty in sedating the animal as using the drug delivery equipment was not possible without coming near to the wounded animal. Approaching the leopard from the front was not possible as it could have provoked it further. Later, the team cleared another way and succeeded in tranquilising the animal.
However, upon close inspection, the team found that the wild cat had sustained only minor bruises. After administering it with antibiotics, the leopard was set free at 8 p.m.

Source: http://www.garhwalpost.com/centrenewsdetail.aspx?id=7335;&nt=Society