An adult leopard was found caught in a jaw trap at Hampapura, near Keregodu, in the district on Monday. The incident has worried the Forest Department because using jaw traps is an indication that professional hunters have extended their activities to the district. “This is a first-of-its-kind incident in the district,” said Harish, Range Forest Officer, Mandya. Senior officials in the department suspect that poachers had placed the jaw trap in the sugarcane field of a farmer, Jayaswamy, in the late hours of Sunday. Meanwhile, a crowd gathered and expressed anger against the department for the inordinate delay in trapping the animal, which was seen screaming with pain in the jaw trap.

Source: The Hindu April 30, 2019 04:07 UTC