A protected common leopard was shot dead by residents in Bajaur’s Wara Mamund tehsil after it allegedly attacked livestock over several days, prompting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department to launch legal action against those involved.

According to residents, the leopard had been entering populated areas at night and repeatedly preying on cows, goats, and other domestic animals. The attacks reportedly caused significant financial losses for livestock owners and heightened fear among villagers, who said they had been monitoring the animal’s movements before eventually killing it.

Following the incident, the Wildlife Department announced that it is identifying those responsible through photographs and videos circulating on social media. Officials said legal cases will be registered against all individuals found to be involved, emphasising that the common leopard is a protected species under provincial wildlife laws and that killing it is a punishable offence.

Wildlife authorities urged the public not to confront wild animals on their own and instead report such incidents immediately so trained teams can safely capture and relocate them. Conservation experts say habitat destruction, shrinking forest cover, and declining natural prey are increasingly forcing leopards and other wildlife into human settlements, leading to more frequent human-wildlife conflicts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.