The carcass of a leopard found in a highly decomposed condition in North Bargur reserve forest area was burnt after spot-autopsy by a forest team on Sunday.
The putrefied body of the leopard aged about five years bore wounds on the neck and body indicating its death after a territorial fight with another carnivore, in a remote part of the forest area bordering Karnataka, said V. Zakkariya, Chennampatti Ranger. The carcass was found by a team of personnel while inspecting the area and rule out outbreak of fire during summer months.
According to the report of the post-mortem examination conducted by veterinarian of Vellithiruppur dispensary Ravichandran, the leopard had died of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle instigated by hypersensitive immune reaction.
The carcass of the carnivore was burnt, under the instructions of District Forest Officer of Erode Division Nagarajan.