Steps to protect hill country leopards: Minister

By Shantha Chandrasiri

Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Mahinda Amaraweera said steps would be taken to protect hill country leopards, a rare species of animal living in Sri Lanka that should receive special attention as a national asset.

Wildlife Conservators said 145 hill country leopards had been killed from 2001 to 2021 and that they had died in traps laid by the people. They said about six hill country leopards had died in traps recently and another five were saved by them.

Addressing a meeting of senior officials of the Wildlife and Forest Conservation Departments held in Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat he stressed the need to protect the hill country Leopards and Sambhurs that added to the beauty of the central hills and created tourist attractions.He pointed out that it was the duty of the officials and the people to protect wildlife. The Minister expressed concern about the danger of extinction facing the hill country leopards.

Several senior officials including Ministry Secretaries Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Chandra Herath, and Divisional Secretaries were present at the occasion.