Assam forest ranger rescues leopard, gets injured
July 26th, 2011 - 8:53 pm ICT by IANSKaziranga (Assam), July 26 (IANS) A forest ranger in Assam Tuesday was injured while saving a leopard from being lynched by villagers.
Tarun Gogoi, a ranger of the Wildlife Rescue Centre of Kaziranga National Park, was injured near the park in eastern Assam, about 220 km from the state capital.
The leopard had strayed into human settlements close to the park and Gogoi tried to save the wild cat.
“We arrived with a team to rescue the leopard when I suddenly saw a group of armed people on the verge of lynching the cat. I just could not hold back and jumped over the leopard and shouted at the crowd to spare the beast,” Tarun Gogoi told IANS.
The panic-stricken leopard injured Gogoi. He writhed in pain and blood was splattered all over his body with multiple wounds on his arms and legs.
“I am in pain and injured but am happy I was able to save the leopard from being killed,” Gogoi said.
The locals hit the wild cat with bamboo poles, sticks, machetes and spears. It was then shifted to the rescue centre by the park authorities.
“The leopard attacked a villager in the morning and then we decided to kill it, fearing it would go on rampage,” a villager said.
Locals often target animals, especially elephants, that stray out of jungles into human settlements.
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Tags: arms and legs, assam, bamboo poles, beast, elephants, forest ranger, gogoi, human settlements, jungles, kaziranga national park, locals, machetes, park authorities, rampage, target animals, verge, villager, wild cat, wildlife rescue centre, wounds