Forest teams comb area for similar traps in village
A forest team shifts the dead leopard to the Forest Department office.
Photo Credits: Uday Sawant
The Forest Department has registered an offence in connection with the death of a leopard after it was caught in a trap at Kopardem-Sattari and also began a search for similar traps in the village.
According to sources, a trap was laid to hunt wild animals near a road at Kopardem-Sattari.
Some locals noticed the dead leopard on Friday morning and news of the incident quickly spread in the village.
Locals then notified the Forest Department and Valpoi Range Forest Officer Shamsundar Gawas, Assistant Range Officer Mahadev Gaonkar and a team rushed to the spot and conducted the panchnama of the incident.
Veterinary officers later conducted a post-mortem at the forest department office.
Speaking to reporters, ACF Vishwas Chodankar said unidentified persons had laid a trap in a private property to poach for wild animals.
“The leopard got caught in the trap and died. A case has been registered against the land owner and some family members have been summoned for an inquiry. Such incidents will not be taken lightly and strict action will be taken against the accused,” said Chodankar.
“There has been an increase in poaching of wild animals like wild boar and deer by laying traps in many parts of Sattari.”
Taking serious note of this incident, the Forest Department has started combing operation in Kopardem area and many teams were pressed into service.
Combing operations will be undertaken at different places in Koparde to locate traps which have been set up to capture wild animals. Forest officials have warned land owners of strict action if traps are being laid in their properties.
