Wildlife Dept. inspects traps to protect leopards

Considering the series of leopard deaths that have taken place in the hill country, the wild life department is conducting inspections to protect the endangered animals, wildlife sources said.

They claimed the decision was made in response to the recent death of a leopard at Dickoya Estate. A carcass of a leopard was found in Dickoya in the Hatton area recently.

Accordingly, three leopard deaths have been reported in the Hatton area during the past six months. The majority of the beasts in this area fall victim to traps set up among bushes in estates, the sources said.

Hunting wild animals and setting up traps to kill or to capture them is illegal, as per the law of this country. With the increase in the number of leopard deaths, the wildlife officials conduct random inspections and observations to locate traps in the hill country, the sources further said. 

Certain areas in Dickoya were found with many traps set for hunting, the wildlife department said.

In the meantime, officers attached to the Nallathanniya Wildlife office have rescued a leopard which was trapped at the Hadley estate in Dickoya and released it to the Randenigala forest reserve, the department added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)