Shivamogga, 10 Dec

Two leopards died in Shivamogga after getting caught in snares laid illegally by poachers and possibly, villagers. A bear was rescued in a separate incident.

Wildlife activists have criticised the Forest Department for failing to curb recurring deaths caused by traps.

In Bhadravati, a leopard caught in a snare died on Monday at the Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari. The three-and-a-half-year-old animal was found with the snare tightened around its waist and legs. It was rescued and moved to Shivamogga for treatment, but did not survive.

In another incident, a leopard was found dead in a decomposed state on Sunday near Talagunda in the Shiralakoppa range. Forest staff suspect the animal may have died two days earlier due to a snare at a private farmland.

Poachers set up snares to hunt wild boar and deer, but leopards and bears have increasingly become victims in Shivamogga. Over the past seven months, 11 bears and four leopards have been trapped. Of these, three bears and two leopards have died.

“Most traps are being set on private lands. Landowners deny involvement, and when attempts are made to hold them accountable, political pressure follows,” a forest official said. Wildlife activist Parameshwarayya Chittaguppe said: “Forest officials must hold landowners responsible and file FIRs wherever traps are found.”

Forest officials have been directed to carry out combing operations and create awareness among villagers about the punishment for using snares.
Bhadravati DCF Ravindra Kumar noted that many snares are placed in elephant-proof trenches (EPTs), where plants make detection difficult.