Leopard that was caught in a trap at Balur in Mudigere.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Chikkamagaluru: A leopard died after being caught in a trap set by poachers near a coffee estate in Balur, in Karnataka's Mudigere taluk.
The leopard got caught in the snare on Thursday night, which was originally set for poaching wild boars. The local residents noticed the trapped animal and informed the forest department. Officials rushed to the spot and attempted to rescue the leopard.
The forest department had planned to get experts from Shivamogga to help with the rescue, but by then, the leopard had stopped breathing and was declared dead. Officials stated that while trying to free itself, the snare tightened around the waist of the leopard, leading to its death.
“There is a possibility that the leopard got caught in a trap meant for wild boars. An FIR will first be filed against the owner of the coffee estate. Further investigation will be held after the post-mortem,” officials said.