Endangered species: Injured cub rescued by wildlife authorities

Will be released to its natural habitat after it fully recovers.

GILGIT:

The Gigit-Baltistan Wildlife Department has taken into custody an injured snow leopard cub after it was spotted at a river bank in Gojal valley on the China border.

A leopard, possibly its mother, was believed to be accompanying the cub when it (the cub) got injured as they attempted to cross a river in the Khunjerab National Park, the third largest park of the country and one of world’s highest parks at altitude ranging between 3,660 metres to 6,000 metres.

“The cub that is about seven to eight months old, is in stable condition now,” Aftab Mehmood, divisional forest officer at the wildlife department told The Express Tribune on Monday. The cub was taken to a hut owned by the wildlife department where it was given medical treatment.



“We are looking at the causes that might have led to its injuries,” Mehmood said, adding that the cub would be released into its wild habitat once it recovers completely.

Snow leopard, also called Uncia uncial has been enlisted as “endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 1^st, 2013.