Leopard skin, nails dumped in lake in Aarey forest; probe launched

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Parts of leopard skin and nails were found dumped in a lake in the Aarey forest here, an official said on Sunday.

A worker found parts of leopard skin and nails wrapped in a cloth in the lake on the Marol side of the forest on Saturday morning, and informed the authorities, the official said.

Forest officials from the Mumbai range will initiate necessary action, as it appears to be a case of poaching or illegal wildlife trade, said Pawan Sharma, the founder and president of Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) and honorary wildlife warden with the forest department.

The department is going through the existing database of leopards of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Aarey as a part of the probe, he said.

Leopards are among the top predator species found in Mumbai and are listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which gives them the highest level of protection, he said.