Tirupati: The Tirupati wildlife division has ordered a probe into the death of a fully-grown female leopard, whose severed carcass was found in the forest reserve area near Vemulawada village in Kotakadapalli area of Yerravaripalem mandal on Tuesday.
According to forest officials, the 10-11-year-old leopardess got entangled in a snare set up by poachers in the reserve forest area close to the village. It died of injuries inflicted by the thick snare wire as it struggled to escape.
On receiving information about the incident on Tuesday night, Forest officials, including Tirupati wildlife division DFO Pawan Kumar Rao, arrived at the spot and collected details. As the body of the leopardess was partially decomposed, forest officials believe the incident might have happened nearly two weeks ago.
“We have learnt that the leopardess got trapped in an iron snare set up by poachers to trap wild animals. Though it managed to escape from the trap, it died due to injuries from the snare wire. The big cat seems to have struggled a lot to escape from the snare, during which its body got split,” the DFO told DC.
Forest officials, with the help of vets and local officials, conducted an autopsy on the carcass, followed by a Panchnama. and cremated it in the premises. A case has been registered.
The DFO said a prompt investigation is under way to trace those who set up the snare to catch wild animals. Legal action would follow.
“The internal organs of the animal were decomposed. However, its skin and nails were intact. We are suspecting that the snare was meant for catching a wild boar or some other small animal,” the DFO said.
