A leopard caught in a snare set on farmland at Pattavayal in the Gudalur forest division of the Nilgiris was rescued by forestry staff and later freed inside the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve early Thursday. Officials received a report around 8 p.m. Wednesday that the animal had become entangled in fencing on the property of a local resident. Upon arrival, teams found the leopard trapped in a wire loop intended for smaller animals. A veterinary surgeon from the reserve assisted in the operation. The leopard received treatment for its wounds before being moved in a special cage to the reserve for release. Authorities have since launched an inquiry and detained a 40-year-old daily wage worker who admitted placing the snare. In a separate case, a tiger carcass was located Wednesday in the Sigur range within the reserve buffer zone. Field staff discovered the body during a regular patrol. A postmortem examination was performed, after which the remains were disposed of. Initial findings indicate the death resulted from natural causes.
