Nature protection prosecutor's office initiates criminal proceeding on death of Far-Eastern leopard

The nature protection prosecutor's office of the Khabarovsk territory has initiated criminal proceedings on the death of the planet's rarest animal - the Far-Eastern leopard - in the Far-Eastern Zoo, prosecutor Alexander Pakhomov said on Thursday.

The leopard was the only representative of this family in the Khabarovsk territory. According to the experts' estimation, the family consists of 30-45 individuals, and its last habitat lies in the south of the Far-East, on the border between Russia, China and North Korea.

Zoo workers sprinkled the territory, including the leopard's cage, with chlorophos solution to protect the animals from mosquitoes. The investigation will show the concentration of chlorophos. However, dissection revealed chlorophos in the leopard's liver, lungs and stomach.

A veterinary surgeon is held criminally liable. He can be sentenced to a fine of 200 minimal wages or correctional labour.