TEMPO.CO, Cilacap - Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in Central Java confirmed the death of a leopard (Panthera pardus melas) at Serulingmas zoo, Banjarnegara last night. It died before its third surgery.
"The leopard could not be helped due to its severe internal injury," said Central Java BKSDA head Cristanto yesterday. The poor wild animal had gone through treatments for 100 stitches resulted from a boar trap piercing 20 centimeters into his body.
The leopard was captured using a boar trap on Sept 26 in Kutaagung Village, Dayeuhluhur District, Cilacap. The boar trap, cconstructed of a wire cable left incurable wound on the leopard. Cristanto assured the proper procedures have been followed during the treatments; a veterinarian from Yogyakarta was also summoned to help.
The government must ban the use of boar trap that could harm leopards. "I will send letters to all of the Regency Heads to pay more attention to the protected leopard," he said.
There are only 1,000 leopards left on Java Island, 500 of which existing in West Java. In Central Java province, most leopard population is in Nusakambangan Island. More leopards invade the residential housing recently due to the decreasing forest quality in Java Island.
"The wound has been stitched, but since the leopard kept moving, the wound has been re-opened," said Banjarnegara Tourism Agency head Aziz Achmad.
The leopard will be buried in Banjarnegara. BKSDA is currently working on the reports of the dead leopard.
ARIS ANDRIANTO
