COIMBATORE: A male leopard, aged about five years, was found dead in the reserve forest area of Karamadai range in Coimbatore division on Friday evening.
A forest department veterinarian carried out an autopsy on Saturday and stated that the animal died after a vehicle hit him while it was crossing a road.
The frontline staff from Manar beat of Karamadai range were on a patrol on Friday evening when they spotted the carcass of the leopard.
A forest department official said that the leopard was found dead nearly 20 metres from Mulli-Pillur dam road.
Forest veterinary officer A Sukumar visited the reserve forest on Saturday and carried out the autopsy in the presence of department's officials and NGO members.
Samples were collected from the carcass for laboratory examination and it was cremated in the reserve forest.
Sukumar said that a portion of the leopard’s tail and four claws of its left foreleg were severed, and it could have happened due to the accident.
The forest department officials are trying to trace the vehicle that crossed the reserve forest area. The details of the vehicle was collected from a check post at Mulli.