BENGALURU: For 42 hours, a leopard caught in a snare at a coffee estate, fought hard to survive. But after almost two days, the male big cat, which was five to six years old, succumbed on Saturday afternoon. Now, wildlife activists have called for a dedicated tranquillisation team for the forest department to save wild animals caught in snares at coffee estates.
The incident occurred at the 800-acre Doddanagudde Coffee Estate at Channapura village, owned by the Rebello family. Though the leopard was caught in the snare on Thursday night, neither the owners nor the 400-odd workers informed forest officials.
They told the officials that with the coffee-picking season over, they did not know that the animal was in the estate.When the Chikkamagaluru territorial officials were informed on Saturday, foresters rushed to the spot, while a medical team from Shivamogga arrived by afternoon.
Deputy Conservator of Forests N H Jagannath said, “We immediately called for a tranquilisation team from Shivamogga. But the leopard had been struggling for 42 hours, its intestines had come out and it was completely dehydrated. There was no way we could have saved it. We will send a circular to all coffee estates to inform the forest department of any such illegal activities.”
G Veeresh, a honorary wildlife warden, said, “Strict action should be taken against private property owners who abet such deaths,” he said.Forest officials have booked a case against estate owners F M E Rebello, J J S Rebello and E J G Rebello under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.