A rare snow leopard has been captured after killing dozens of animals.
Authorities captured a rare snow leopard after it reportedly killed dozens of livestock animals when it became trapped in an enclosure.
Afghan authorities are preparing to release it back into the wild, a conservation group has said.
The animal was found on Thursday night in the rural Zibak district of Badakhshan province after killing around 30 animals, Abdulrahman Karsa, the district’s deputy governor told the AFP over the weekend.
The young leopard was being held at the governor’s compound in the provincial capital Faizabad.
A veterinarian has treated a minor injury to the leopard’s leg and clarified it’ll soon be released back into the wild. The mountains northeast of Afghanistan are one of the few habitats of the big cats. They are native to Central Asia and usually live in the mountains of Russia, India, China and Afghanistan as well as other areas. Scientists fear there may only be between 3,99 and 6,300 snow leopards left in the wild.
Snow leopards are listed as a “vulnerable species” with their numbers decreasing over the loss of habitats, climate change and poaching.
However, experts have warned farms moving further up the mountains to plant crops and care for livestock are moving into snow leopard territory.
The farmer whose animal was savaged by the animal has sought support from the government after losing his only source of income.
