Bishkek veterinarians operate wounded snow leopard

AKIPRESS.COM - The X-ray revealed around 70 gunshot pellets in head of the wounded snow leopard brought to Bishkek from Talas, the State Environmental Protection and Forestry Agency said.
The snow leopard was caged by Kok-Oi village residents after they found the cat sitting on a tree. The snow leopard was wounded with its head and eyes bleeding.
The veterinarians operated the snow leopard and removed 18 pellets that posed threat to life of the endangered cat. The rest pellets are not dangerous, the veterinarians said.
The operation was made at the Agrarian University. Three veterinarians operated the wounded snow leopard.
"The operation lasted 1.5 hours, this is the time anaesthesia lasts. 18 pellets were removed from forefront, eye, mouth and tongue for this time. 2 pellets were removed from right eye. The eye leaked from its socket before the animal was found. The vision of the left eye is no more than 40%," veterinarians said.
The remaining pellets in the neck and shoulder blades were not removed as anaesthesia wore off.
"They will diffuse with a properly chosen antibiotics therapy. Pellets in the forefront, eye and tongues needed to be removed. Judging from teeth abrasion we determined it is a 2-year old male," veterinarians said.
The snow leopard will be taken to the rehabilitation center in Issyk-Kul after the medical treatment and will be released into the wild upon recovery.
The police and environmental watchdog investigate the case trying to locate those who wounded the endangered cat.
The sanctions under the Criminal Code will be taken upon location of perpetrators.