Kasaragod: An adult male leopard was found dead in a rubber plantation near Panathur in Panathady panchayat on Tuesday. The Forest Department in Kasaragod has called in a veterinary surgeon from Wayanad to conduct the postmortem.

The carcass was found on the plantation of P K Gopalan at Kammadi near Kallappally by a worker who arrived to tap rubber. Officials led by Kanhangad Range Forest Officer K Rahul reached the spot and conducted a preliminary examination. Rahul said the carcass appeared to have been lying there for no more than a day.

"There are no external injuries or other abnormal marks on the body in the preliminary examination," he said.

The leopard is estimated to be around four to five years old, said Rahul. A leopard typically lives for about 10 to 15 years in the wild. The cause of death will be known only after the postmortem examination, which is expected to be conducted at the Forest Section Headquarters at Panathady later in the day.

As per the protocol of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the autopsy of animals listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act is to be conducted by a forest veterinary surgeon. Kasaragod is the only district without a forest veterinary surgeon. The district usually brings in a veterinary surgeon from Kannur or Wayanad, Rahul said.
Residents said they had spotted a leopard in the area recently.