TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Evacuated Javan leopard still awaiting release into the wild
It remained motionless in the corner of its cage while animal caretakers entered its enclosure and it did not hiss, bare its fangs or growl. Additionally, the predator did not pounce on or attack live prey provided by the caretakers, including chickens and goats.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
A black panther, also known as the Javan leopard, sleeps in a cage after being captured and anesthetized on June 1, 2019, in a West Java village. Local authorities took the wild cat to the Bandung Zoo for treatment before it is released into the wild. (Photo courtesy of West Java BKSDA/File)
A
Javan leopard rescued last month after attacking livestock in a Banten village has yet to be released into the wild, as authorities continue to observe the critically endangered feline in the Taman Safari Indonesia wildlife park in Bogor, West Java because of its “unusual” behavior.
West Java Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Head Agus Arianto said that the leopard exhibited behavior distinct from other wild Javan leopards.
It remained motionless in the corner of its cage while animal caretakers entered its enclosure and it did not hiss, bare its fangs or growl. Additionally, the predator did not pounce on or attack live prey provided by the caretakers, including chickens and goats.
“Wild animals typically avoid humans or become aggressive when they encounter one, but it seems that this leopard has abnormalities in its behavior. Certain conditions, such as viruses or diseases, can cause wild animals to behave in such a way,” Agus said in a recent statement, as reported by Tempo.
Bongot Huaso Mulia, Vice President of Life Science at Taman Safari Indonesia, stated that pre-infection tests revealed that the leopard had previously contracted both Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and Feline Panleukopenia Virus (FPV).
“We have sent the samples to a laboratory at the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) for further analysis,” Bongot said in a recent statement.
FPV is a highly contagious and often fatal viral disease that primarily affects wild and domestic felines, including leopards. It is caused by the parvovirus, which attacks the feline's immune system, and can lead to severe symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and in some cases, sudden death.
