NAGPUR: A fully grown male leopard was electrocuted in Sawangi reserved forest, around 65 kms from Nagpur in Paoni Forest Range in Nagpur Forest Division, highlighting the presence of poachers as well as absence of wildlife protection measures in forests outside the sanctuaries and national parks.
The incident is feared to have taken place in compartment number 423 last Saturday night, but it came to light only on January 20 evening. The poaching took place the same day when the district tiger cell held its meeting.
The live wire trap was laid from 11,000 volt electric line passing through the forest near Sawangi village. It is the common and widely used practice by poachers to kill herbivores for meat. Forest officials suspect, the leopard, around 7-year-old, died in such a trap.
After learning of the incident, N Rambabu, conservator of forests (CF), along with D P Sadavarti, assistant conservator (ACF), and Nitin Desai, director, Central India, Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), rushed to the spot.
Sadavarti informed that record of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) sub-station at Paoni showed that power had tripped around 1 am on January 18. This usually happens when an animal comes in contact with the live wire trap. The power is restored after some time. Vet certified that the putrefied carcass of the leopard was 48 to 72 hours old. “We have registered offences against the unidentified culprits and investigating all possible angles,” the ACF told TOI.
