Two hill country leopard cubs about ten-days-old, left by its mother were recovered from an estate in Dikoya by the wildlife conservators of Nallathanniya Range Office.

Range Forest Conservator Prabhash Karunatilleke said one of the cubs was a male and the other a female and that both of them were in perfect health. He said the two cubs were left in a safer location, where the mother would be frequenting.

He said, as they expected, the mother leopard that arrived in about an hour, took away the cubs one by one. He said the superintendent of the estate helped the wildlife conservators save the two cubs from any possible danger.

Meanwhile a well grown hill country leopard caught in a wire trap in Chapleton estate in Bogawantalawa by a hunter, was saved by wildlife conservators under the Veterinary Medical Officer of Randenigala Veterinary Hospital Dr. Akalada Pinidiya.

Dr. Pinidiya said the leopard that roamed into the estate to catch dogs had been caught in the trap laid by a hunter. He said the leopard would be released to forest reserve. (Shantha Chandrasiri and Ranjith Rajapakse)