Date:25/02/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/02/25/stories/2005022505600500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Thrashed leopard battles for life

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, FEB. 24. A leopard that received a severe thrashing after straying into a colony at Srirampur in Adilabad district is battling for life at Nehru Zoological Park in the city.

After it forayed into the residential area, residents of Srirampur cornered the cub and beat it up with sticks on Wednesday. Forest officials of the Mancherial division who received the information shifted the leopard, aged about six months, to the city zoo late last night.

On drip

The zoo curator, B.Srinivas, said the feline was put on the drip under intensive care. The spinal cord and the head received severe injuries and the animal continued to remain in shock and semi-conscious state. "The spine appears badly injured and the leopard seem to be having severe internal bleeding," he said.

The zoo staff expressed concern at the feline's condition and hoped that it would respond to the medicare at the earliest.