Barwani: A two-month-old female leopard cub rescued from Golata village in Madhya Pradesh's Barwani district has tested positive for canine distemper virus (CDV), prompting forest officials to shift it to the Veterinary College in Mhow for specialized treatment.
Cub's Health Deteriorates
Barwani divisional forest officer (DFO) Ashish Bansod told TOI that the cub's health deteriorated significantly on Sunday night, after which it was transferred to Mhow along with forest department officials for advanced medical care.
The DFO said, "Specialists at the veterinary college confirmed the presence of Canine Distemper Virus after conducting diagnostic tests. The diagnosis was later corroborated by the Wildlife Forensic Laboratory of the Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University in Jabalpur, which detected the virus in the cub's blood samples on Monday evening."
"The cub is currently under treatment in Mhow and is being closely monitored by veterinary experts," Bansod added.
Veterinary Expert's Observations
Veterinary doctor and wildlife expert Dr. Mahendra Singh Baghel, who had been treating the cub in Barwani, said the animal's seizures had stabilized but it had stopped eating and its overall condition was worsening. He added that the cub had also begun developing skin infections, making referral to a higher medical facility necessary.
Forest officials have continued efforts to locate the cub's mother and its two siblings since June 8. However, despite extensive searches, no trace of the leopard family was found. Authorities believe the animals may have moved far from the area.
Rescue and Reunion Attempts
The cub was rescued on June 8 from an agricultural field in Golata village under the Rajpur forest range. Forest officials initially suspected that it became separated from its mother. In an attempt to reunite the cub with the female leopard, it was placed in a protective cage at the same location for three consecutive days.
However, the mother leopard did not return to reclaim the cub. During the reunion effort, the cub began exhibiting symptoms consistent with canine distemper virus infection, prompting forest officials to collect blood samples and send them for laboratory testing in Jabalpur. Following the emergence of the symptoms, the reunion exercise was discontinued and the cub was placed under intensive veterinary care.
