Snow leopard cub rescued from Kashmir

BOTENGU VILLAGE - Wildlife wardens assisted by forest rangers rescued a three-month old snow leopard cub after it had strayed into a human habitation at Botengu village from Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

“The cub was hiding in the kitchen of the house. We didn’t tranquillise it but we relied on certain medicines to cow it down,” said Mohammed Ashraf Khan, a wildlife warden.

The animal was later taken to the office of the Divisional Conservator of Forests where veterinarians examined it.

After the vets declared it as a healthy cub, the rangers relocated at to the near by jungle.

Locals hailed the prompt action taken by the wildlife department.

“Wildlife officials did a fantastic job…the cub strayed into the locality from the nearby area…we are happy after the forest officials captured it,” said Sabzaar Khan, a resident.

India has the third-largest population of these spotted wild cats after China and Mongolia-of which around half are inhabited in Kashmir.(ANI)