Chikmagalur: Coffee estate owners booked after leopard caught in trap dies after 40 hrs

Chikmagalur: A case was registered against owners of an 800-acre coffee estate at Channapura village here after a leopard died in their estate which was trapped for more than 40 hours.

The leopard was caught in a snare on the night of Thursday, March 25. However, the owners did not inform the forest department till Saturday.

The department rushed a team of tranquillisation specialists from Shivamogga. However, the leopard by that time was beyond rescue as its intestines were hanging out and it was completely dehydrated.

Wildlife activists are of the view that the leopard could have been saved had the estate owners informed the authorities soon after the leopard was trapped.

The department has now sent a circular to all coffee estate and other plantation owners to inform the department if similar activities occur.