Another leopard dies in Hoshiarpur jungles

Under fire for not taking steps to save the wild cats,state Chief Wildlife Warden Gurbaz Singh maintained that efforts have been made to save the animal,but as it got trapped in snares during the night,it was exhausted. The rescue teams rushed to the spot in the morning.

“A tranquiliser shot was given and nets were used to capture the animal. The postmortem report will ascertain the real cause of the death,” he told The Indian Express.

Singh claimed that leopards are not locally found,but stray into Punjab from neighbouring Shiwalik foothills of Himachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile,former Honourary Wildlife Warden of Hoshiarpur,Gunraj Singh,who was present at the spot,questioned the “clumsy” rescue operation that “killed” the animal. “First,there was no tranquilising gun available. When one was brought after some time,it did not work at first. Then the shot was given in the absence of veterinary experts,” he alleged. The animal had risen to a height with the snare wire around its stomach and when it was sedated,it fell on the ground with a thud,he added.

Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa,another former Honourary Wildlife Warden termed the death as “most unfortunate”. “We have the video to show how the operation was mismanaged. The department will have to reply,” said a furious Bajwa.

Hoshiarpur jungles:

January 2011: A full-grown male leopard died during a rescue operation by wildlife staff at Baghera village in Dholbaha wildlife range in Hoshiarpur. The animal was badly injured. No inquiry,no responsibility fixed.

December 2010: A full grown-male leopard was found dead,entangled in the snares in Dolbhaha. An FIR was registered,but no headway yet.

Others

November 2010: A male leopard was found butchered with canines and claws missing in Ropar. A case was registered by police but no inquiry so far.

March 2010: A female leopard died in the captivity of the wildlife staff. It was alleged that tranquiliser overdose led to the death. No responsibility was fixed.