MYSURU: A leopard that got trapped in a snare laid to catch wild boars at a farm in Suntikoppa in Karnataka's Kodagu died on Saturday.
Foresters claim that the incident occurred at Mathikadu in
Somwarpet taluk. An adult male leopard aged around seven to eight years which had tried to enter a farm got caught in the snare laid to trap wild boars.
It is believed that the leopard had entered the farm which is close to the village in search of stray dogs. But as miscreants had laid snare wire – which is made of discarded wire fencing – which was anchored to a tree and was suspended on the animal trail.
Foresters claim that the snare was laid to catch the wild boars which enter the farm and destroy crops. But unfortunately, the wildcat which was prowling in the farm got caught in the snare. As its neck got caught in the wire snare, the animal had struggled to escape. But due to the pull, the noose tightened around its neck. Unable to escape from the wire and due deeper cut into the flesh, the animal had died.
The incident came to know on Saturday at around 9am, when Chinnappa, a plantation worker of the Krishna Estate noticed the leopard caught in the snare. As the wildcat was not moving, Chinnappa who went near the animal found it dead.
He had called the farm owner who immediately informed the forest department authorities. The forest staffs who rushed to the spot managed to remove the wild animal from the snare wire and later had conducted the postmortem.
As the claws and canine were intact, foresters believed that it was not a poaching incident but the miscreants had tried to trap wild boars.
Meanwhile, the forest department has registered a case are investigating the case.
