In the quiet hills of Kotkhai, Shimla, a man rescued a fragile leopard cub by the roadside. Ankush Chauhan, a resident, discovered the female cub shivering in the bushes. Instead of disturbing the animal,
he and his family waited for several days, hoping the mother would return to claim her lost little one. But as time passed, the cub grew weaker without food and the threat of prowling wild dogs drew closer.
So, Chauhan made a bold decision before wild dogs got hold of it. He gently picked up the cub and placed it in his car. After consulting forest officers on what to do next, he was advised to drop the little one at the nearest Divisional Forest Office in Himachal Pradesh.
“We realised it was no longer safe for him to stay there. It was time to act,” he was quoted as saying by The Tribune.
Leopard Cub On A Car Ride
A now-viral video on social media shows the cub curiously looking out of the car window as Chauhan drives through the hills. This rare and touching sight has melted hearts online.
Social media users thronged the comments section of the post and filled it with heartwarming comments. A majority of users praised the man’s humanitarian act, while others shared their concern about the mother who must have been looking for the cub in the same place. A few expressed their amazement at the little one’s antics.
“My Sunday just became brighter with a beautiful act of humanity,” read a comment.
Another wrote, “I like what the resident is doing… but the poor cub looks worried about being in the glass and watching all the greenery go by! Hope the cub finds its way back to the forest where it needs to be.”
“Not a very wise step, frankly. With all his good intentions, he would have just taken the cub away from the mother, further reducing the chances of a reunion and the cub’s survival. The mother would have left the cub for some time only to return to the same spot to pick it up again,” a concerned user said.
An individual stated, “Good job, but I’m not sure if it was a good move. Should have called the forest dept, IMHO.”
“Good intentions, but moving cubs can disrupt chances of reuniting with mothers,” wrote a user.
Kotkhai Tharola resident Ankush Chauhan, on finding a leopard cub, personally took it to Theog DFO. Good to see humanity still alive, as such rare animals are often killed for their teeth and skin. pic.twitter.com/dWWHCkYFJM
— Nikhil saini (@iNikhilsaini) August 9, 2025
Theog DFO To Reunite The Cub With Its Mother
Manish Ram Pal, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Theog, told the Hindustan Times that the female leopard cub is approximately 20 days old. He confirmed that the cub is under their care and in stable condition. “She is under tremendous stress but is otherwise healthy,” he said.
As soon as the cub was brought to them, it was immediately placed under the care of a veterinarian to check its vitals. Fortunately, everything was found to be normal.
Theog DFO added that the forest department has decided to reunite it with its mother, instead of placing the cub in a zoo or a sanctuary, at least for now. “Our priority is to reunite the cub with its mother, not hand it over to a zoo. If, after three days, the efforts prove unsuccessful, forest officials will move her to a safer place,” Pal added.
Efforts are already underway to locate the mother in the surrounding forest areas.
