A coalition of animal welfare organizations is calling on the Forest Department to immediately cease the practice of using live animals as bait to trap leopards and tigers caught in human-wildlife conflict situations. These groups emphasize that such methods are not only a breach of existing animal welfare legislation but also inflict immense suffering upon the animals involved.
This urgent appeal follows a distressing incident earlier this month in H.D. Kote, Mysuru district, where a calf was cruelly used as live bait to lure and capture a leopard. Although the leopard was successfully trapped, it miraculously spared the calf, which endured hours of trauma within the cage. A video of the incident quickly went viral across social media platforms, sparking widespread outrage.
People for Animals (PFA) swiftly intervened, ensuring the calf’s rescue from further distress. The young male calf was then transported to the PFA’s shelter in Mysuru, where it is now receiving essential care and rehabilitation. The PFA highlighted, “Our rapid intervention not only rescued the calf from ongoing trauma but also prevented its potential reuse as live bait.”
The organization commended the quick response of Sujaya Jagadish, a dedicated member of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), who initially brought this inhumane practice to light. “Her efforts truly made a crucial difference in this case,” added the PFA.
In response to the incident, animal welfare groups have formally written to Meenakshi Negi, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of the Forest Forces, to inform her of the event and advocate for a complete prohibition on such practices moving forward. They are also demanding a thorough investigation into the matter, citing that the use of live bait directly contravenes the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, as well as the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act of 2020.
Both PFA and SPCA underscore that these methods are inconsistent with the Animal Welfare Board of India’s guidelines on humane trapping. The groups are pushing for mandatory training for frontline forest staff in ethical wildlife management techniques and the adoption of alternative, humane methods. These alternatives include using meat as bait or employing a ‘split cage’ design, where the bait animal is kept securely in a separate compartment while the big cat is lured into the main trapping area for capture.