To find those responsible:

DWLC investigatEs black leopard KILLING

Chamikara Weerasinghe

The Wildlife Conservation Department has launched investigations to find those responsible for laying a trap that has killed what would be a rare type of black leopard to have been found in Sri Lanka.

The carcass of the wildcat was found in Deniyaya from a bordering village of the Sinharaja forest, caught in a poacher's snare.

Wildlife Conservation Department Director General W.A.D.Wijesuriya said yesterday they have taken a tissue sample of the animal to determine whether is a rare type.

"In the meanwhile, we have launched investigations to find those who had laid the trap to catch the animal," he said .

"A carcass of a similar species was found from the northern part of the Sinharaja about two months ago.

At the time, the Wildlife Conservation Department found its body was decomposed but we were able to gather the teeth samples of the animal," he said.

"As cattle would have different types of cattle , leopards too have different types," he added.

Asked if it was a leopard with black skin, he said, " that is what we are trying to determine with the tissue samples."

According to Udawalawa Athathuru Sevana Vet. Dr. M. Kumudini, the wildcat is a female species with spots vaguely visible from her black coat of skin.

She is not fully grown and her exact age cannot be determined, the vet said.

As pointed out by Wildlife Department Director General, more investigation is necessary to gain proper identification of the animal. The Wildlife Authorities are to carry out a DNA test on the animal.

As Environmentalist Jagath Gunawardene had told media, the melanin content in the carcass could give some idea about the species' type.

He said , this was the third time a carcass of a black leopard had been found. One wildcat carcass was found at Weerapana in the Galle District and another in Ratnapura..