Canine distemper might be killing leopards in Nepal

Canine distemper virus is likely circulating among Nepal’s common leopards (Panthera pardus), causing deaths, according to a recent genetic study that also traced the virus lineage in deceased individuals across the country.

While a previous study established that leopards had been exposed to the virus, evidenced by antibodies to canine distemper virus found in the blood of dead leopards, it was unclear whether they had died from the disease. The identification of live viruses now confirms that the animals are indeed dying due to the illness, the lead author of the study said.

“Our study is the first to detect the presence of CDV, and not it antibodies, in common leopards,” said lead author Amir Sadaula, a veterinarian at the National Trust for Nature Conservation, a semigovernmental body. “It also establishes a direct link between their deaths and CDV infection,” Sadaula added.

While the presence of antibodies suggests that an individual may have been exposed to the virus during its lifetime, it isn’t a definitive indicator of an active infection. However, the presence of a live virus is a marker of an active infection, Sadaula added.

Leopards are a threatened species categorised as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In Nepal, they often come into conflict with humans in rural communities, especially in...

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