HYDERABAD: A female leopard was fatally hit by a speeding vehicle while the big cat was crossing National Highway 44 near a forest nursery in Vallur near Ramayampet in Medak district on Thursday late evening.The leopard was possibly six and seven years old and appeared to have been in good health, Medak district forest officer M. Joji said. The animal, he said, was a regular visitor to a check dam in the nursery where it was seen at least twice, before drinking water. Several other wild animals too come to the check dam to drink water, he said.The leopard managed to cross one half of the national highway and was hit by a speeding vehicle after it managed to cross the divider. There is a reserve forest area nearby and the undulating terrain is perfect leopard habitat, the official said.Since several wild animals use that stretch of the NH 44, there is a need for a wildlife underpass or an overpass to allow the animals to cross from one side of the road to the other safely, he added.
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