Leopard devours own cubs

Nashik, Apr 28 (UNI) A female leopard, trapped by forest department officials, today killed and devoured her own cubs.

Two leopard cubs were found on last friday near here and the forest department officials had taken them under their care.

The officials had launched a hunt for the mother and succeeded in trapping the female leopard yesterday. The leopard and her two cubs were kept in the same cage before they could be released in the forests.

Today, the mother fed her two cubs but later killed and devoured them.

R A Kapse, a forest official, said that such incidents do occur and animals are known to kill their progeny after delivery.

Some wildlife experts feel that the human scent lingering on the cubs owing to their being handled by human beings, might have fuelled the leopard's aggression. Besides, she was also angry at being ensnared.

UNI GB MAZ PY HT1537