KOZHIKODE: Wayanad has been witnessing an increase in incidents of traps being laid for wild animals in the lockdown period.
According to sources, as many as four such cases were reported in the last three months in order to procure animal meat.
Forest officials said that animals venture into the forest for hunting when they observe little human activity around, which has been the case since quite sometime due to the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
On April 13, a tiger was found dead in the Thazathur section of Kurichiat range after it fell into a trap.
A leopard too fell in the trap in an agricultural land at Moolankavu in Sulthan Bathery range, it was then rescued.
Meanwhile, a wild boar too was killed as it came into contact with a live electric fence linked to a house at Parappanangady, Irulam, under Chedalath range.
"To stop crop raiding by wild boars, farmers can pass a maximum of 9.9 volt to the electric fence which will not take the life of the animal. But what happened at Parappanangady was that a man connected power directly from his house to the fence thus killing the wild boar. He has only 10 cents of rubber plantation and the criminal act was for obtaining the wild boar's meat," said T Sasikumaran, Range Officer Chedalath.
A similar incident killed two humans and an elephant in Muthanga last year.
"Wide use of snares made out of steel rope is a major issue. It may be meant for a wild boar, deer or rabbit but even forest officials fall into it," Sasikumaran added.
Four were arrested in Begur range for hunting deer in Thirunelli forest recently, said Begur range officer, Ratheesan V.
According to officers, there are several such traps and snares put on the path of wild animals which go unreported. Forest officials have kick started large-scale combing operation on forest fringes to look out for them.