Breaking News! 6 Villagers Have Been Arrested For The Brutal Killing Of Critically Endangered Leopard In Sri Lanka

Yesterday, reports emerged that the first two villagers were arrested for the alleged killing of a rare leopard in northern Sri Lanka last week.

As of this morning, Colombo Page reported that four more suspects have been arrested.

The endangered species was beaten to death by an estimated 12 villagers armed with clubs, who were also taking pictures of the brutal act on their cell phones, this all took place in the northern district of Kilinochchi. They believed the animal was responsible for injuring at least 10 villagers as it hunted cattle and goats.

Police were able to obtain visuals taken from cell phone footage at the scene of the crime, including video and photos of villagers posing with the dead animal, which they then shared on social media to help identify the suspects.

The population of leopards in Sri Lanka, has been reported to be between 250 and 1,000, and sadly that number continues to decline for numerous reasons including poaching and human-animal conflict.

The harming or killing of Sri Lankan leopards, which were listed as endangered in 2008, is punishable by law. Those found guilty of the offense may be sentenced to between two and five years in prison.