AGARTALA, March 26 (TIWN): In a case of gross negligence on the part of veterinary doctors three clouded leopards at the Sepahijala wild life sanctuary lost their life’s due to babesiosis, a tick-borne malaria like illness caused by species of the intraerythrocytic protozoan Babesia, recently. According to sources two leopards died on March 23 and one leopard on March 24.

Because of the lack of infrastructure, the Wild life sanctuary is losing its glory day by day. Repairing work is pending. The environment centers round the sanctuary is purely becomes unhygienic. The dead skeleton of the animals are scattering here and there which stopped the tourists from entering to the wonderful scenery of the nature.

On the other hand the food provided to the animals is not up to the level. That’s why the condition of the animals living here becomes weak and in the recent days many of them had lost their lives because of poor quality of foods.

Sepahijala is a wonderful wilderness setting within less than 25kms from Agartala which houses the key species like spectacled monkey and clouded leopard in the wild, as well as in the zoo. It is fairly well maintained inspire of several villages around the 18.5 sq kms wildlife sanctuary and 68 hectares of zoo area. There is an extension into a botanical garden, which houses the Panchakarma Herbal Centre on the Kerala model of herbal treatment and massage. There is a well set accommodation facility with well meaning staff. All combinations to make it a world class ‘conservation tourism’ destination. But now, the environment around the Sepahijala is decorating day by day.

Though Tripura forest department has decided to cut down all the rubber trees in Sepahijala sanctuary considering a negative impact on natural bio-diversity and wildlife another source of wildlife division claimed that three animals including deer and the rare spectacled monkey have died after consuming rubber leaves and nuts in first few months and autopsy report of the died animal confirmed it.

It is to be mentioned here that, Tripura has four wildlife sanctuaries Trishna, Gomati, Rowa and Sepahijala. These safe havens for wildlife are particularly valuable because over the decades, most forests in the state have diminished in extent and quality.