19 May,2026 10:30 AM IST | Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu) | PTI
Image for representational purpose only. Photo Courtesy: File pic
An adult leopard was found dead near Mayfield Estate within the Gudalur forest division on Monday.
The forest officials recovered the carcass of the leopard, and as per the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines the Gudalur forest division veterinarians will be conducting a postmortem examination.
The forest department officials said the exact reason for the death of the animal will be ascertained only after the lab reports were released.
In April, a tiger, a leopard and a cheetah, three of the world's most-elusive apex predators, were sighted simultaneously in a tourist zone of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, a moment experts describe as "extremely rare" and "scientifically intriguing".
The unusual convergence was witnessed on Sunday in Zone 9 of the reserve, located along the banks of the Chakal river, about 45 minutes from the main gate.
The three apex predators were spotted within an estimated range of one-two kilometres at the same time, thrilling tourists and drawing attention from conservationists, said Ranthambore's Deputy Conservator of Forest and Deputy Field Director Manas Singh.
"Forest chose to surprise. In Zone 9, a tiger, a leopard, and a cheetah, three of the wild's most elusive beings, sighted in the same landscape, in a single window of time," the forest department said on Instagram.
Earlier in February, a leopard died after it was hit by an unidentified vehicle on a national highway in Maharashtra's Gondia district in the early hours, a forest official said.
The incident occurred around 1.30 am on the Nainpur-Duggipaar Road on NH 53, under the Sadak Arjuni forest range, the official stated.
A forest team found the big cat dead with bleeding from the mouth, he said.
As per preliminary information, an unidentified speeding vehicle knocked down the leopard while it was crossing the road, he said.
The official said that the area sees frequent movement of wild animals, as it is a corridor connecting Navegaonbandh with the Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary.
Range forest officer Mithu Tarone said all body parts of the deceased animal were intact, and under the guidelines of the NTCA, a team of veterinarians conducted a post-mortem and the carcass was consigned to flames after formalities.
