Leopardess injured after getting trapped in snare in Indore district; rescued by forest department

Indore, Nov 3 (PTI) A leopardess that suffered injuries after getting entangled in a snare in Indore district was rescued by the Madhya Pradesh forest department on Monday, an official said.

The department has filed a case against an unidentified person in connection with the incident, he said.

Yohan Katara, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Indore's Ralamandal Sanctuary, told PTI that the leopardess was entangled in a snare set in the bushes at the foot of a steep hill, about 35 kilometers from the district headquarters.

The snare, made from motorcycle clutch wires, was set near a human settlement, he said.

The SDO said after receiving information about the trap, a forest department team tranquilized the wild animal and safely rescued her in an hour-long operation.

According to Katara, "The leopardess is aged between 5 and 6 years. She was entangled in the snare at night. She suffered scratches on her body and an injury to one of her hind legs while trying to free herself from the snare." The injured animal was brought to Indore zoo for treatment and will be released into the wild post-recovery, stated the forest department official.

The Sub-Divisional Officer stated that a case was registered against an unidentified person under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, for trapping the feline and a detailed investigation was underway.

Another forest department official said farmers in villages adjacent to forests set snares to protect their crops, especially from boars, but other wild animals often become trapped in them. PTI HWP MAS RSY