BENGALURU: A team of veterinarians at Bannerghatta Biological Park achieved a remarkable feat by successfully performing a rare surgery on a leopard in March. The leopard, which was suffering from breathing difficulties due to a rupture of the diaphragm separating the stomach and lungs, is now recovering well after being kept in captivity for six months post-surgery.
The doctors and staff at the park are delighted to see the leopard healthy and running around happily. The feline had been struggling with diaphragmatic hernia (hiatal hernia type 1), causing its stomach to encroach upon its lungs, leading to severe breathing issues. Additionally, it was experiencing difficulties in digestion and was losing weight drastically.
The medical team at Bannerghatta Biological Park recognized the severity of the situation and sought consent to perform the groundbreaking surgery. On March 27th, a team led by Dr. Kiran Kumar, Dr. Anand, and Dr. Manjunath skillfully conducted this pioneering surgery, marking it as the first of its kind in Asia.
Following the successful operation, the leopard’s weight has increased significantly from 13 kg to approximately 40 kg, demonstrating outstanding recovery post-surgery – an unprecedented achievement in such cases involving leopards.
At Mysore Zoo, a four-month-old leopard cub found with an injured right front leg in Mandya district earlier this year was preserved and handed over. Despite having only three legs, this resilient young leopard is thriving under care at Bannerghatta Biological Park.