An adult leopard was killed after being hit by a speeding vehicle at 2 No. Ghoronia in the Naharkatia area of Dibrugarh district on Thursday evening, triggering concern among local residents and wildlife activists.
Eyewitnesses said the leopard was attempting to cross the road when a fast-moving vehicle struck the animal, killing it on the spot. Locals blamed reckless driving and overspeeding on the stretch, stating that such incidents have become increasingly common in areas close to forested and tea garden regions.
Following the incident, residents informed the Forest Department. Police later reached the spot and recovered the carcass of the leopard. Expressing grief over the incident, a local resident said the animal’s death was entirely avoidable and called for strict legal action against the driver responsible for the accident.
Environmentalists have also raised serious concerns over frequent wildlife deaths caused by speeding vehicles. Devojit Moran, an environmentalist, said that reports of leopards being killed in road accidents emerge every year and stressed the need for motorists to strictly control speed while passing through forest and wildlife-prone areas.
Leopards are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and are classified as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. Conservationists warn that leopard populations are under growing threat due to habitat loss and fragmentation, leading to a steady decline in many parts of their global range.
In Assam, leopard movement into tea garden areas and nearby villages is common, as shrinking habitats force the animals to venture out in search of food. Such movements often result in human-animal conflict, highlighting the urgent need for increased awareness, stricter enforcement of traffic regulations, and wildlife-friendly road safety measures in sensitive zones.
