Two leopard cubs found in Sattari without their mother

KERI: Two newly-born cubs of a leopard were found on Sunday morning without their mother in Bodanwada, Saleli, at the foothills of Morlegad in Sattari.

The mother leopard has given birth to the two cubs in an isolated and deserted shed near an old stone crusher unit owned by Anil Tar.

As the eyes of these cubs have not yet opened and as they are without any food since birth, their lives are in danger. Normally, the eyes of the cubs open after a week and for the first two months the mother keeps her cubs hidden.

Paresh Porob, the range forest officer of Keri range, speaking to TOI, said, "There is need to keep these cubs in isolation since their mother will return to take care of these young cubs."

Early on Sunday morning, the mother leopard came close to Kanta Gaonkar of Bodanwada, who was near the crusher. He said, "I was luckily saved from being attacked by the female leopard. When we entered the shed we saw two cubs lying there."

Chandrakant Shinde, of Vivekanand environment awareness brigade, Keri, who was present at the site said, "The mother will leave the cubs for up to 36 hours for hunting and will then return to feed them. Later, she will bring solid food for her cubs when they are about six weeks old. The cubs will stay with the mother for the first 22 months. Only half the cubs from a litter will survive to be adults."

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