Two leopard cubs die at Peshawar zoo

A third cub is also believed to have died or was in critical condition

PESHAWAR: At least two cubs of the common leopard have died at the Peshawar Zoo, an official told The Express Tribune.

The zoo employee said that the leopard cubs had died owing to rising temperatures. One of them had died soon after its birth before the start of Ramazan while the other died a few days ago. A third was also believed to have either died or was in critical condition.

The leopard had given birth to a total of four cubs.

“An earthen shelter is needed in the zoo to provide animals with an environment which is as close to their natural habitat as possible. These cave-like shelters would protect them against the weather. Plus the administration should install water coolers [owing to the heat] but no such steps were been taken and the result is evident,” claimed the official.



“More than two dozen animals have died inside the zoo since it was inaugurated earlier this year including a precious snow leopard,” he said.

The government had taken the notice of the deaths at the zoo and formed a committee to probe them. But the committee’s findings were never made public.

“A common leopard gave birth to four cubs before Ramazan. Initially, it was too aggressive to allow doctors to inspect it. Soon after birth, one of the cubs died and the administration took the stance that the mother leopard had apparently eaten one of her cubs. Soon, another cub died and there are reports of a third one dying too but the leopard is not allowing anyone to go near it,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2018.