The injured rare jungle cat
A rare black leopard that was rescued from a snare set by a rural cultivator died of its injuries after three days in an animal hospital in Sri Lanka.
In a 19-minute video, the wildlife officials were seen desperately trying to save the seven-year-old jungle cat from death treating its wounds on the spot. After that, it was transported to an animal hospital in a steel box, passing a mountainous rural village populated by tea-pluckers and cultivators.
The jungle cat got trapped in Nallathanniya, a tea-growing area close to the holy Adam’s Peak mountain range. A suspect is in custody in connection with setting up the snare.
A grainy picture of a black leopard made rounds on social media during the last few months, attracting the interest of the wildlife enthusiasts. Some suspected it to be a hoax. The trapped animal is a melanistic colour variant of the Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) thought to be extinct on the island.
Readers’ comments in newspapers and social media expressed dismay and sadness over the animal’s death, while others questioned whether the wildlife officials handled the tranquilization and treatment correctly.
Sri Lankan wildlife staff is thought to be highly professional and dedicated. Their work has increased in the recent past due to the growing conflict between humans and leopards, as the cats stray into the villages as natural habitats dwindle due to cultivation. The staff is often exposed to harm by animals and people. Recently a forest ranger was shot dead by a poacher.
According to EconomyNext, the Department of Wildlife Conservation had revealed that the snare had heavily damaged the leopard’s neck adding that it was the only black panther reported from the Hatton area. A veterinarian said the leopard’s remains were taken to the University of Peradeniya for a postmortem. “We cannot clearly say what the reason for the death was until a postmortem is done,” he said.
A leopard that was trapped in a snare at a private land in Neluwa, Galle, was found on June 2, Wildlife Conservation Department said. Another leopard that was trapped in a snare was released after being rescued by the wildlife officers in Yatiyanthota three days ago. It was released as there were no injuries at the time of rescue, according to Colombo-based Daily Mirror
After the postmortem Peradeniya veterinary science sources said the animal’s death was caused by severe injuries to the muscles and nerves around its neck, according to Colombo-based Ada website.
“This black leopard is fully grown when compared to other males and these particular beasts are highly sensitive to pain and shock. Therefore, people should not crowd around when a leopard is caught in a snare and let it rest. However, the loss of this beautiful animal is a great setback for the rich diversity of Sri Lanka nature,” he stressed.
At the beginning of this year, news reports said that the leopards had started to raid the small-scale farmers’ cultivations in the upcountry. The beasts were known to snatch and feed on the family dogs.
The villagers were in the habit of avenging their nemesis by exploiting a natural disadvantage of the leopard. The animals are said to snack on a dog several times by hiding the carcass in the bush. The villagers had gone to the areas where the jungle cats used to conceal their prey to poison the meat. Half a dozen leopards died like this, according to press reports.
In January, the Department of Wildlife Conservation installed remote motion sensors at several locations after hearing the presence of a black leopard. The wildlife officials have said that there are about six black leopards in Sri Lanka at present.
There are about 15,000 – 30,000 black leopards left in the world, according to estimates. The animals are listed as “Vulnerable” aka “Threatened” (one level worse than Near Threatened) on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Last year the carcasses of seven well-grown elephants, believed to have been the victims of poisoning, were found in a north-central forest reserve in Sri Lanka. Seven elephants were females, while four were pregnant and lactating.
In another incident, six elephants of a herd died after eating from a landfill of rotten plastic and other waste near a residential area in Deegawapiya, close to a Buddhist sacred shrine. The garbage dump contained waste discarded by thousands of Buddhist pilgrims. – newstrails.com
