A 3-month-old leopard cub died after getting trapped in a sugarcane field, which had been set on fire by farm labourers to clear and prepare the ground for the next crop, in the neighbouring Bharuch district, forest officials said today.
The incident took place on January 1 at Gundiya village, about 110 kms from here, after farm labourers had set afire the field, a routine practice to prepare it for the next crop, N V Vasava, Range Forest Officer told PTI.
Three leopard cubs were spotted at the field, while two of them managed to escape, the third one came on to the road limping after sustaining burn injuries, he said.
Their mother also ran away from the spot. Forest officials rushed to the spot and found its carcass. The cub was cremated on that day itself after conducting post-mortem, he added.
Officials said efforts are on to trace the mother leopard and the other two cubs.
Wildlife experts say that due to increasing sugarcane fields in the region, natural habitats for leopards are getting destroyed and hence they are giving birth to new ones in fields.
