Srinagar: Three leopard cubs abandoned in the apple orchards of Wagoora tehsil in north Kashmir have been reunited with their mother, with the help of locals.
The cubs were put inside a cave for a week and fed with meat until their mother returned to the area.
“The leopard cubs are so beautiful that no one could think of doing any harm to them. We fed them for a week until their mother returned in an orchard,” said Bilal Rather of Wagoora.
Rather said people also realized irritating the cubs could turn the leopardess aggressive and harm the locals.
Over the year the wild animals from the forests of the Pir Panjal range have increased their movement in the human habitats of the area.
Officials say wildlife animals are straying into the residential area due to depleting forest cover and encroachment into wildlife habitat.
In the past few years, several bears and leopards were rescued by wildlife officials from Wagoora.
“Wild animals have become a common sight in our localities. I received multiple calls in the past few weeks from night travelers, informing me a leopard is sitting outside my gate during the night,” said Ishtiyaq Ahmad.
