Manipur: 2 endangered juvenile  leopard cats rescued

Imphal: Two endangered juvenile leopard cats, locally known as Keijenglang (Prionailurus bengalensis), were rescued from a location in Manipur's Kamjong district bordering Myanmar to the southeast.

A Tangkhul Naga village elder named Lew Loderson, a resident of Kasom Khullen of Manipur's Kamjong district, rescued the adult wild cats while he was on a venture along the border on Saturday, reports stated on Sunday.

The wild cats were in poor health and were given proper medical care. Later, the two wild animals were handed over to  Kshetrimayum Johnson Singh, the secretary of the Wildlife Conservationist and CITES Committee (WCC), for conservation efforts.

Later, the endangered species were handed over to the Manipur forest department for proper treatment and conservation in the Manipur Zoological garden, Imphal, the reports added.

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The leopard cubs, though similar in size to a domestic baby cat, possess longer legs. This species is native to South, Southeast, and East Asia and is categorized as “Least Concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. However, it faces significant threats from habitat loss and hunting.

The Keijenglang is a protected and endangered species in Manipur, protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Local people, NGOs, and even the Assam Rifles have rescued Keijenglang kittens and adults from the wild or from markets.