Leopard caught in a snare rescued

MANALI: Forest officials rescued a female leopard caught in a snare after an hour-long operation in Barsar forest range in Hamirpur district on Wednesday. The leopard, which had difficulty even in standing up, has been shifted to Gopalpur zoo in Kangra district.

An official said the leopard, which may have sustained internal injuries in its struggle to free itself from the trap, would be treated medically before being releasing into the forest.

"The leopard was found trapped in snare in Garli area of Barsar range. It was rescued after a joint operation by forest officials and a medical team," said conservator of forest Pradeep Thakur. The team used darts to tranquilize the feline before releasing it.

Officials said fields around the Barsar range are largely being destroyed by wild boars and farmers set up noose and jaw traps to snare the animals and keep their crops safe. "We are trying to trace the culprit who had laid this trap. He would be punished according to the law," said Thakur. He further added that department has intensified patrols inside the forest to check for noose traps.

Divisional forest officer Anil Joshi said, "Our staff had recently undergone a special training in rescue operation which worked well for this feline. We have taken this incident seriously and probe it. Police have also been informed," he said.