Pregnant Leopardess Dies After Being Hit By A Speeding Jeep On Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway

On Saturday night, a pregnant leopardess crossing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway at Mira Road, in Maharashtra's capital Mumbai, was knocked down by an unidentified vehicle. The big cat died during treatment, early on Sunday.

According to an eyewitness identified as Bhola, he was driving on the highway when he noticed a leopardess crossing the road in front of Hotel Delhi Darbar in Kashimira, at around 11:30pm. An unidentified Tata Sumo jeep hit the leopardess, and it began limping and moved into the jungle.

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The eyewitness informed the personnel manning the police chowkie at Kashimira. They then informed the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) officers. A team, along with the wildlife rescue ambulance, reached the spot and began searching for the leopardess.

The wild cat lay in the bushes and was carried into the ambulance. It succumbed to its injuries at around 2:30am. An autopsy conducted by a team of veterinarians in the SGNP on Sunday afternoon, revealed the cause of death as a strong mechanical impact (probably vehicular origin) causing multiple hemorrhages, multiple fractures and muscular damage, resulting in hypovolemia and respiratory arrest.

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#Mumbai: A pregnant leopard crossing the road on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway at Mira Road on Saturday night was knocked down by an unidentified vehicle. The big cat died during treatment early Sunday pic.twitter.com/NklTdnmSlq

¡ª TOI Mumbai (@TOIMumbai) November 15, 2020

The leopardess was found to be pregnant, carrying three foetuses.

Leopards and other wild animals cross the highway at Thane¡¯s Ghodbunder Road and Western Express Highway during wee hours. While sign boards asking vehicles to slow down at specific crossings have been put up, vehicles tend to speed away.

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Forest officials said that they would examine closed circuit television (CCTV) footage at the accident spot to track down the vehicle. Animal activists said that every year, at least one wild animal is knocked down by speeding vehicles on the highway at Vasai and Thane. However, the erring vehicle drivers are never arrested.