Leopard cub learns to walk again after being paralysed in road accident

This is the heartwarming moment a seven-month-old leopard cub, which was paralysed after accident learns to walk again.

The female cub was hit by a speeding vehicle near Igatpuri located in Nashik district, Maharashtra earlier this month.

The critically injured animal was rescued by the Forest Department and later transferred to the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center, run by Wildlife SOS in Junnar, near Pune.

After the accident left the young cub paralyzed, her chances of recovery appeared bleak.

X-rays revealed spinal injuries which had caused complete limb paralysis. But as the leopard was young, her vets felt that with proper treatment she would be able to walk again.

The leopard was ready to surprise the experts with her sheer determination to get back on her feet again too.

Senior Wildlife SOS Veterinarian Dr Ajay Deshmukh, said: “We are providing regular physiotherapy comprising of stretching exercises, massages and assisted walks. She is getting stronger each day and we have observed signs of movement in her limbs.”

Ajit Shinde, Range Forest Officer, Junnar said, “We have observed that the leopard is responding well to the physiotherapy sessions and I am grateful to the hard work put in by the Wildlife SOS team.”

In recent years, economic growth and rapid infrastructural development in India have shrunk the habitat of wildlife exposing them to new dangers like road accidents.