Beed: A leopard, believed to be between 10 and 12 years old, was found dead in a sugarcane field at Limbodi village in Ashti tehsil on Friday, triggering concern among local residents and forest officials. The carcass was discovered in Survey No. 153 of a farmer’s field.
According to officials from the Forest Department, the animal is suspected to have died nearly six to eight days before it was found. Due to the intense summer heat, the carcass had completely decomposed by the time authorities reached the spot.
Forest Range Officer Amol Munde, along with a veterinary team, rushed to the site after receiving the information. However, the advanced state of decomposition made it impossible to conduct a post-mortem examination.
Officials said no samples could be collected for laboratory testing, leaving the exact cause of death undetermined.
The Forest Department clarified that the leopard’s teeth, claws, and other body parts were intact, ruling out poaching. Preliminary observations suggest that the animal may have died due to old age or heat stress.
Following the completion of the official panchnama, last rites were conducted late at night in the presence of forest and veterinary officials.
“The carcass was in an advanced stage of decomposition. It is difficult to ascertain whether the leopard died due to age or extreme heat. All body parts, including claws and teeth, were found intact,” said Amol Munde, Forest Range Officer, Ashti.
“Since the body was completely decomposed, a post-mortem examination could not be carried out. The exact cause of death cannot be determined,” added Dr Santosh Dhonde, Veterinary Officer.
