CHENNAI: With no progress in both the DNA test and interrogation of the smuggler , the female leopard cub, which was seized from a passenger at Chennai airport a fortnight ago, remains in the quarantine area of the zoo.Zoo officials said the health condition of the two-month-old cub is improving. The cub is now active, they said, adding that no samples have been collected for a DNA test.The cub was smuggled by a passenger, who is believed to have sedated the animal, from Thailand. Chennai wildlife warden C H Padma told TOI that the accused will be taken into custody by this weekend and interrogation will be carried out when two of her colleagues, who are out of station on duty, return.The warden said she would request the zoo veterinarians to procure samples for a DNA test to determine the leopard’s country of origin. The official, however, added that pinpointing the cub’s forest area would be difficult as there was no specific data about its parents. The samples will be sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad. Test results would be available in a week.A zoo official said the cub could not be transported to its country of origin immediately, as the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of flora and fauna restricts transportation of newborn cubs.

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