Forest officials have rescued an eight-year-old male black panther which was injured after being trapped in a snare in Sri Lanka.<br /><br />The incident took place at Lakshapana Estate in Nallathanniya on May 26.<br /><br />According to reports, the panther was ensnared on a wire by a group of people in a vegetable farm near the Kovil Kovil in the Walamalai area of the Nallathanniya police division.<br /><br />The wildlife officials presume that the animal was caught when he came to hunt a dog that had been bred to live in an estate close to the vegetable farm.<br /><br />The Black Leopard was tranquillised and rescued by the forest department officials.<br /><br />Following its rescue, the injured animal was transported to the Randenigala Veterinary Hospital with the assistance of officials from the Nallathanniya Department of Wildlife Conservation.<br /><br />According to a veterinarian, the panther had sustained an injury just above its right leg but is not in a critical condition.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Police have arrested a man for setting up the snare in which the rare Black Leopard was trapped.<br /><br />He will be produced in court in the following days in connection to the offence he has committed.<br /><br />The black panther is one of the 8 sub-species of leopard found around the world, the Sri Lankan Leopard is scientifically known as Panthera Pardus Kotiya is classified as endangered, with a 2015 estimate placing the population at between 700 and 950 individuals.<br /><br />The animal will be treated at the hospital and measures will be taken to release it back into the wild after ascertaining its complete recovery.
