Panther injures forest staffers in rescue operation in Nalgonda, dies of haemorrhage

Hyderabad: A rescue operation to set free a Panther caught in the fence of an agricultural field in Nalgonda district, left two forest staffers injured on Thursday. As the forest teams tried to free the animal from the fence and shift it into a cage, it escaped from the net and chased the staffers, injuring them. However, after a high voltage chase drama, they could manage to trap the animal at Rajapet village in Marriguda mandal and shift it to the zoo at Hyderabad.

However, the Panther later died, while shifting the animal to the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad. The team of doctors who examined the big cat said that "the cause of death is due to internal haemorrhages, shock and Asphyxia." The Rescue team led by Dr. Asadullah, Veterinary Asst. Surgeon, of the Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad said that the Panther which is about 7 years old and is a male was trapped in a snare kept by farmers for trapping the wild boars, in Rajapeta Thanda village of Marriguda Mandal, Nalgonda District.

On Thursday morning, a group of farmers heading to their fields on the outskirts of the village noticed abnormal sounds and when they went in the direction of the sound, they found a panther caught in the fence. The fence was laid to protect the field from wild boars and other animals.

Immediately, the forest and revenue officials were alerted and teams rushed to the spot with tranquilizers, cage and a net. After more than an hour long operation, they could free the animal from the fence, but it immediately ran for cover, even as forest staffers tried to catch it. Noticing their attempts, in an attempt to resist, it started chasing them. As they ran for cover, it left two of them injured. However, the forest staffers after some time could catch the animal using a net and then shifted it into the cage.

A few days ago, a leopard was sighted on the highway near Katedan on the outskirts of the city. Efforts to rescue it for more than three days went in vain as the animal disappeared. Though the location of the animal is not known, forest officials assume it could have ventured into the Anantagiri forest area. Last week, a tiger was sighted at an open cast coal mine in Kumurambheem Asifabad district.