Leopard Found Dead in Rangareddy Forest, Fourth Big Cat Death Since Jan. 1

 Hyderabad: A leopard was reported dead on Saturday from the Peddaelkicherla forest in Jilledu Chourdariguda mandal in Rangareddy district, taking the big cat toll in the state since the advent of 2024 to four.

The leopard’s death follows the suspicious death of another leopard in Narayanpet district on January 13. Previously, two tigers were discovered dead in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district in the first week of January, one of whom died of poisoning.

The latest leopard death comes amid efforts by forest department staff in Narayanpet and Wanaparthy districts to catch two other leopards, which, the department said, were responsible for a series of cattle kills. In both cases, the forest department said the decision to catch them and release them elsewhere in the state was taken to reduce the threat of human-animal conflict.

As and when captured, these two leopards are to be released in Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Nagarkurnool district, the forest department said.

The latest leopard death was reported to the police by local shepherds, who noticed the carcass in the forest. They said it was not uncommon to find leopards in the 650-acre Peddaelkircherla forest.

Rangareddy district forest officer D. Sudhakar Reddy said that based on an initial examination of the carcass, the male leopard, aged around four years, could have died of natural causes and that the animal may have been dead for three to four days.

However, the actual cause of death can be established only after receiving the post-mortem examination report, and forensic test results of samples taken from the carcass, he said.

The cause of death of the leopard found in Narayanpet was found to be the presence of streptococci bacteria in its gut. However, officials of the forest department failed to confirm the actual cause of death.

Big cat deaths since Jan 1 in Telangana

January 7 – Sub-adult tigress found dead in KB Asifabad district.

January 8 – Large male tiger, the father of the sub-adult tigress, found dead nearby.

January 13 – Adult male leopard found dead in Narayanpet district. Cause of death still a mystery.

February 3 – Male leopard, aged around 4 years, discovered dead in Rangareddy district.