Meera Bhardwaj:
In a shocking incident, a young female leopard was seriously injured in a meat bomb blast on August 14th at Arsikere, Hassan district, Karnataka, India. The leopard died on August 15 at 6.37 am despite best efforts by the forest department to save the big cat.
The crude blast material was hidden by poachers inside a chicken and an unknowing female leopard that came out of a nearby reserve forest was badly injured while ingesting the chicken. Later, it died despite treatment being provided in both Hassan and surgical intervention in Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru. Inquiry and investigation and combing operations are presently going on to catch the culprits in Arsikere range.
In the last 10 months, Karnataka has lost almost 35 leopards including seven cubs due to varied reasons.
Usually, country made crude blast materials are camouflaged inside fruits, tender coconuts, chickens and other food materials by poachers to kill “wild boars” or other wildlife. Wild boars are opportunistic animals and they eat both plants and animals as they are ombivorous animals.
In many incidents of revenge killings, bombs and poison are also used by hiding or mixing it with meat to kill tigers or leopards in India. Also, incidents of death of elephants, sloth bears and leopards have been reported across the country as they fall prey to the crude blast materials cleverly hidden inside meat or fruits.
In fact, explosive materials are kept as a bait to lure wildlife like wild boars by poachers as it happened in this meat bomb blast through the strong smell emanating from chicken, said CCF, Hassan Circle, V Yedukondalu.
It was on 14th morning, information was received that people had sighted a leopard in bushes which was not moving. Arsikere range field staff immediately informed Saurabh Kumar DCF, Hassan Territorial Division. It was an injured, immobile female leopard aged about 2-3 years. The young female leopard was found sheltering in the bushes of Survey No. 61 (government land) at Doddenahalli village, Arsikere taluk, Hassan district.
As per Range Forest Officer’s report to DCF Hassan division, the initial assessments indicated injuries were caused by the consumption of a meat bomb (a country-made crude explosive trap). Following the NTCA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and requisite sanctions from the Chief Wildlife Warden, a rescue operation was immediately initiated.
A veterinary team consisting of a local veterinarian and Dr Vinayak, Wildlife Veterinarian from the Bhadra Tiger Reserve was requisitioned to the incident spot. The veterinary team successfully darted the injured leopard and sedated it.
DCF Saurab Kumar further added that all NTCA protocol was followed in toto and with the permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden to save the injured leopard. “This is the first such incident in Hassan division where a crude blast has happened involving a leopard. In fact, leopards are found more in non-forest areas than in forest areas. And so, we are involved in rescuing not only leopards but also sloth bears when they stray into agricultural fields.”
A detailed physical examination of the injured big cat revealed severe trauma in the mouth and jaw.
The RFO’s report stated, “Extensive injuries to the oral cavity and lower jaw severely fractured, disoriented, and structurally compromised due to the explosive material. Given the critical nature of the injuries, senior forests officials were consulted.”
As per directives from senior forest officials of the Karnataka Forest Department, the injured leopard was approved for transfer to a specialized facility at Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru. The leopard was securely shifted on August 14, 2026 by night to the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru, for emergency surgical intervention.
The veterinary surgical team at the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre operated on the leopard to reconstruct the jaw and treat the wounds. However, despite all life-saving efforts, the leopard succumbed post-operation and was declared dead on August 15th at 6.37 am.
Reacting to the incident, activists in Hassan and Bengaluru questioned the necessity for shifting the leopard to Bengaluru as the leopard was badly injured and could not be saved. They also questioned on the lack of any information and transparency (as per NTCA protocol) about the injury and death of this leopard in a meat bomb blast incident that happened 8 days back.
Speaking to Green Minute News, Hassan Circle Chief Conservator of Forest V Yedukondalu said, “The young leopard was first shifted to the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru. Since the leopard was still alive, all efforts have been made to save the animal till the last minute. Unfortunately, the leopard died.”
The CCF stressed, “The leopard was still alive and it was in fact, responding to treatment for its external injuries. So, it was darted and shifted to a facility with better facilities. We were not sure whether its brain was damaged. The side of the lower jaw was badly injured and open while the upper jaw was intact. The skeletal portions were intact and the forest department did its best to save the leopard. But it died due to the trauma and injuries it suffered in the meat bomb blast. It is our duty to to save any wildlife till the last minute.”
A formal inquiry has been initiated in Arsikere to identify the offenders so that they can be punished under the Wildlife Protection Act. Field staff are actively conducting local inquiries and gathering intelligence to identify and apprehend the culprits responsible for placing the illegal crude explosive material inside a chicken.
The Hassan DCF adds, “Inquiry is being done by ACF while investigation is being done to identify the offenders. Further, we are doing combing operations in the Arsikere range not only to detect snares but also to create awareness in the minds of people – how they would land in trouble of killing a Schedule-1 protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act. For this purpose, teams have been formed and this should act as a deterrant for any such future incidents. After the post mortem, all necessary and vital samples have been collected for sending it for investigation either to Veterinary College, Hassan or CCMB, Hyderabad.”
A Wildlife Offence Report (WLOR No: 02/2026-27) has been officially registered at the Arsikere Range Office, Hassan Division.
(PHOTO CREDIT: ALL IMAGES COURTESY KARNATAKA FOREST DEPARTMENT)