COONOOR: The wounded stray panther succumbed to injuries at the Chinna Vandisholai area here at Coonoor, but its death triggered a controversy as the Greens blamed the foresters for their negligence in rescuing and treating the panther in time.
N.Sadiq Ali, founder of the Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust (WN CT) alleged that though the panther was spotted moving with injuries on Saturday itself, the forest department failed to act in time to rescue the animal and treat it.
“The delay in the forest veterinary team reaching the spot and lack of sufficient forest veterinary service in the hills, complicated the issue and proved detrimental to life of the animal,” he said.
“The WNCT reiterates its demand to post another couple of forest veterinarians in the Ooty and Gudalur areas to ensure that the service of forest veterinarians is always available to attend to any case of emergency in regard to wild animals and during the period of man-animal conflicts.
“It is imperative to establish an animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in Ooty with experts in rescue activities to handle stray and wounded animals and give proper treatment,” he added.
B.K.Kumaran, president of the Nilgiris Ecology and Animals Protection Samithi said that had the service of forest veterinarians was made available in time, the panther could have been saved.
However, Mr Periyasamy, forest range officer at Kattbettu near Coonoor, said that though foresters made efforts to rescue the panther, which was an eight-year-old male, and treat it, still the animal succumbed to its injuries on Sunday night. The panther sustained severe internal injuries in its hind limbs, which ultimately proved to be fatal for it, he added.
