Udupi: Injured leopard caught in trap at Hiriadka, dies

Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Jan 2: A leopard lost its life hours after it walked into a trap near Mahalingeshwara Temple at Kudi village, Kondadi in Hiriadka here on Thursday January 2.

The animal may have strayed into the area during the night and caught in a trap laid for another animal, sources said.

Locals who passed by the spot saw the leopard struggling and informed the forest officials.

The officials who arrived at the spot administered a transquiliser to calm down the wild animal. It was then taken to veterinary clinic in Hiriadka.

It is said that the leopard was injured especially in the lung area, but as no expert is available in Udupi, veterinarians had to be called from Pilikula Nisargadhama, Mangalore.

However, by the time the experts arrived, the animal breathed its last.

The carcass was later buried at Panchanabettu.

The locals said that of late, there have been several incidents of domestic dogs going missing, and expressed suspicion that this leopard might have taken them away.