SSC Selection Post 2022 PYQ — Question 16

Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow.

Gurgaon: A three-year-old male leopard was hit by a speeding vehicle near the Western Peripheral Expressway in Nuh on Saturday morning. The leopard was found to be conscious, but could not move because of the injury. It was later taken to the Rohtak zoo for treatment and officials said it should be fine in due course of time.

The injured leopard was spotted on the roadside at around 9 a.m. by one of the villagers in the area. It had been hit by a vehicle between Tauru and Padheni village of Nuh. In the last 14 years, 10 leopards have died in road accidents in south Haryana.

After being informed by the villagers, a team of wildlife department officials from Gurgaon rushed to the spot with nets, cage and a tranquiliser gun. As the leopard was injured, it took the team just 10 minutes to put the big cat in the cage. The leopard was first taken to a treatment centre in Sultanpur National Park and then to Rohtak zoo.

“The leopard wasn’t able to move as it was injured. It was conscious and our team lifted it carefully and put it in the cage. We didn’t tranquilise it. It has been referred to Rohtak zoo for treatment,” said Rajesh Chahal, wildlife inspector, Gurgaon.

Asked if there is an underpass in the area for the wild animals to cross the expressway, Chahal said, “Yes, there is a wildlife underpass near the area where the incident occurred.” Meanwhile, wildlife activists said these highways had fragmented the Aravalis and bisected the corridor used by the wild animals to traverse from Asola Wildlife sanctuary in Delhi, passing through Gurgaon, to Sariska in Rajasthan.

“It is high time that the Haryana government imposed speed restrictions of 40-50 kmph on these corridors,” said Vaishali Rana Chandra, a wildlife activist.