Timely intervention saves leopard trapped in jaw trap

A three-year old female leopard was trapped in a deadly jaw trap in Kuruli village in the Shirur division of Pune district.

Timely intervention by Wildlife SOS and the Maharashtra Forest Department helped save the leopard’s life and it is currently under medical care at a transit facility.

Jaw traps are lethal hunting devices which can cause severe lacerations, joint dislocations, fractures and even death to wild animals.

Earlier this week, the Wildlife SOS team based out of the Leopard Rescue Centre, Junnar, received a call from the MFD about a helpless leopard caught in a deadly jaw trap in a sugarcane field in Kuruli.

Recognising the extremity of the situation, a four-member team from the NGO geared up with safety nets, tranquillising equipment and protective gear to assist the Forest Department in the rescue operation.

The leopard’s left forelimb was caught in the steel jaw trap and was desperately trying to break free of the painful leg-hold. In such precarious situations, every second counts so the team had to act quickly.

Once the rescue team set up safety nets around the field, Wildlife SOS veterinary officer, Dr Nikhil Bangar successfully immobilised the big cat using a sedative injection from a safe distance. The jaw trap was carefully removed from the entrapped paw and topical treatment for external injuries was conducted on-site.

The leopard was identified as a female, approximately 3 years old. As the extent of the internal injuries was undetermined, the animal was immediately transferred to the Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar for a more detailed examination.

Dr Bangar said: “The leopard was in immense pain and any further delay would have caused severe damage to the forelimb. We disinfected the wound and are currently administering topical treatment along with analgesics and anti- inflammatory medication.”

Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder and CEO of Wildlife SOS, said, “Timely intervention has helped save the animal’s life. The threat of jaw traps and snares is very real. Despite being illegal and banned, they continue to be used for trapping or killing wild animals. Over the years, we’ve rescued several leopards, hyenas, sloth bears, jackals, wild boars etc. from such heinous hunting weapons.”

Manohar Ramdev Mhasekar, RFO, Shirur said, “Farmers often set up such traps around agricultural fields to prevent animals such as wild boars from raiding their crops. Unfortunately, bigger animals such as leopards and hyenas also end up falling victim to these deadly traps. There is an urgent need to educate the public about the illegality of such offences.”