In Jan 2024, local tribesmen fatally shot a common leopard following reports of the animal attacking a child in the Khyber tribal district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

According to local residents, the incident occurred when an adult common leopard entered Khan Kaleem village in the Shalober area of Bara Tehsil, resulting in an attack on a child named Bilal.

A local elder said that “the child sustained injuries in the leopard attack, prompting the residents to take matters into their own hands and hunt down the animal.” This particular leopard had been previously spotted within the village, causing widespread panic among locals.

It is noteworthy that in 2023, two rare common leopards were killed by residents in the distant Tirah valley. The locals justified their actions, claiming it was self-defense to protect children from potential attacks by the leopards.

Activists argue that such acts further endanger wildlife species, many of which are already on the brink of extinction.