Leopardess rescued from poachers’ snare near PTR

Pilibhit: A four-year-old leopardess was rescued from a metallic snare laid by poachers in an agricultural field in Lathpura village, about 6.2km from the core forest of Mala range, on Saturday, the same day Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) inaugurated its new ecotourism season.The rescue operation, which lasted nearly two hours, was carried out by a joint team from the forest and wildlife divisions. The animal's front left paw was caught tightly in the metal trap when the team reached the spot after being alerted by local villagers.PTR veterinary officer Dr Daksh Gangwar tranquilised the leopardess around 11 am to free her from the snare. She was later shifted to the divisional headquarters for a detailed medical examination. "The leopardess is estimated to be between four and five years old. Fortunately, she didn't struggle much to free herself, which saved her paw from serious injury," Dr Gangwar said. "Her upper right canine is missing, though there's no fresh wound on her jaw. Overall, her health condition is stable."Bharat Kumar D.K., divisional forest officer, said the decision on the animal's relocation will be taken by the state's chief wildlife warden Anuradha Vemuri. "Until then, the leopardess will remain under the department's care. We've deployed staff to track down those involved in the poaching attempt, and a case will be registered under the Wildlife Protection Act," he said. He added that there was no indication of cubs in the vicinity of the rescue site.This is the second such incident in Pilibhit in almost a month. Earlier, on Sept 26, another adult leopardess was caught in a snare in Nagaria Khurd village under Madhotanda police limits. Though she was rescued, the animal died 19 hours later while under observation at PTR headquarters. The cause of death remains unknown, pending the autopsy report.