Authorities discovered a snow leopard dead in the pastures of Wakht village in Garam Chashma valley on Monday afternoon.
Wildlife officials confirmed that the rare animal had recently reappeared in the region after an absence of more than a decade.
Deputy Ranger of the Wildlife Department, Shafiq Ahmed, and Regional Program Manager of the Snow Leopard Foundation, Jamigh Sherazi, said they rushed to the site after receiving reports about the carcass.
They found the body frozen, indicating that the animal had died several hours earlier. Officials shifted the carcass to a veterinary hospital, where experts will conduct a postmortem to determine the exact cause of death.
The snow leopard had been sighted in nearby villages, including Wakht, Munoor, and Beghusht, over the past two months. Residents reported that the animal had attacked goats, raising concerns among herders.
Officials believe recent heavy snowfall in the upper areas forced the leopard to descend to lower altitudes in search of food, bringing it into conflict with local communities.
An environmentalist, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed suspicion that the leopard’s death may not be natural and called for a thorough investigation.
Wildlife authorities have assured that the postmortem report will help clarify the circumstances surrounding the animal’s death.
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