In a bid to safeguard wildlife near Bengaluru, the Karnataka Forest Department along with a group of volunteers has initiated a snare removal drive, focusing on forest fringes where these traps pose a deadly threat—especially to leopards.
Described as “silent killers”, these hidden wire snares are often laid by poachers or farmers and have caused numerous injuries and deaths among wild animals. The Anti-Snare Drive, conducted on Sunday, covered areas in the Turahalli, Bannerghatta, and Anekal forest ranges.
The effort was supported by Friends of Wildlife, a conservation-focused volunteer group, who joined officials from the Bengaluru Urban forest division. Volunteers trekked forest trails for nearly three hours, carefully scanning for snares and learning from forest staff about the methods and timing used by poachers to set these traps.
This awareness and action drive aims not only to physically remove the snares but also to educate the public on their devastating effects on wildlife.
A 2021 study by the Nature Conservation Foundation revealed that out of 113 leopard snaring cases, nearly half the traps were originally intended for wild boars. Many farmers reportedly install snares to protect cattle or crops, unaware of the wider ecological damage caused.
Officials stressed the importance of community participation in preventing such traps and urged citizens to report suspicious activity in forested areas.