Rare Leopard Sighting In Muzaffarabad Excites Passing Commuters

A juvenile leopard made an unexpected appearance on a major road near Muzaffarabad, captivating travelers for nearly an hour before disappearing into the nearby mountains. The young common leopard, scientifically known as Panthera Pardus, was initially spotted near Brarkot village along the main Muzaffarabad-Mansehra Road at around 8:50 am. It sat at the roadside near the mountainside, partially concealed by hop bushes, and eventually moved onto the road itself, halting traffic from both directions.

🛑 #Leopards have been accessing rapidly in urban areas / villages of #Pakistan since last few years, this video is of a injured leopard cub near #Muzaffarabad, #Azad #Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/iVbVpm2gC4

— PakWeather.com (@Pak_Weather) September 15, 2023

Social media footage displayed a sizable crowd gathering on both sides of the road, observing the perplexed animal, which remained stationary for approximately 20 minutes.

Read more : Leopard that injured citizens in Islamabad’s DHA 2 came from Sihala forest.

However, before a team from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) wildlife department could reach the scene, the leopard swiftly ascended the adjacent mountains and disappeared. This unexpected sighting provided travelers with a thrilling and rare encounter with wildlife in the region.