Man arrested after snare causes death of leopardess in the Nilgiris
A 57-year-old man in the Nilgiris has been arrested after a snare he set to protect crops from wild animals accidentally killed a leopardess. The Forest Department confirmed the animal died despite rescue efforts, and the suspect has been remanded to judicial custody.
Why it matters
Human-wildlife conflict remains a critical issue in agricultural regions, highlighting the need for sustainable deterrent methods that do not endanger protected species.
A 57-year-old man who was in charge of maintaining an agricultural field near Ithalar in the Nilgiris was arrested after a snare he laid to trap wild game led to the death of a leopardess on Sunday, August 23, 2026.
The Forest Department said that the incident occurred on Sunday, in an agricultural field in Ithalar in Udhagai South Forest Range in Nilgiris forest division.
After they received information about the incident, Forest Department staff as well as veterinarians reached the spot and began the operation to try and rescue the ensnared leopardess. A sedative was administered to the animal before it was extricated from the snare. However, the animal died shortly afterward, as the snare had trapped it around the abdomen.
A case was registered following the incident and the caretaker of the field, identified as Shanmughanathan, was detained and questioned.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in