Leopard, caught in wild boar trap, dies in Keralam’s Kannur

A six-year-old leopard met a tragic end after becoming entangled in a trap allegedly set illegally to prevent wild boars from intruding into agricultural lands at KPR Nagar in Maloor, Kannur district, on Thursday, August 20. The trap was allegedly placed by Ramachandran on his agricultural land, following several incidents where wild boars had damaged crops in the vicinity.

Neighbors observed unusual sounds emanating from the property early Thursday morning, inspected the area, and discovered the leopard ensnared in the trap. Upon learning of the incident, the Koottiyoor forest range office was promptly alerted. Forest officials arrived at the scene and, by the afternoon, successfully tranquilized the leopard using a dart to attempt its release from the trap.

However, the animal had sustained grave injuries and succumbed to its wounds while being transported to a nearby forest station. The Forest department has vowed to investigate the matter and file a case regarding the illegal trap set for wild animals. The leopard's body will be disposed of after a post-mortem examination. The area in question is situated adjacent to forest land, a fact that facilitates the straying of wild animals into neighboring agricultural fields.