Two leopards were found dead in the Birpur area of Dehradun Cantonment on Monday. Carcasses belonging to a male and a female animal, both around three years of age, were discovered by State forest department employees during morning hours.

Primary evidence suggests the felines were electrocuted while mating though the exact cause of death will be confirmed only after post mortem. The condition of the carcasses and the location of their recovery strongly indicate death by electrocution, Dehradun Divisional Forest Officer Meenakshi Joshi said.

"The bodies have no major wounds which might point to the use of snares. It is believed that the duo were atop a tree when they came in contact with the high tension power line passing it. However, the exact cause of their death will be known only after post mortem," Joshi said.

The accidental deaths have come at a time when the Uttarakhand Forest Department has been initiating various steps, such as increased patrolling, improved communication with villagers and strengthening the network of informers to check poaching and smuggling, as part of Operation Arundhati which aims to curtail fatalities among wild animals.

With at least 544 deaths in 10 years, of which 333 are attributed to natural factors, 157 to accidents and 54 to poaching, Uttarakhand is among the States witnessing most leopard fatalities. With the latest deaths, the number of leopard deaths in the State this year rose to 72. Since the start of the year, at least 25 leopard pelts and more than 50 kg of bones have been recovered by the authorities.