Bengaluru: Combing operations conducted by forest officials in Bengaluru have discovered pug marks of a leopard straying into residential areas particularly Kudlu Gate of Singasandra in Bengaluru South region and about 60 personnel have been engaged in its capture besides two cages have also been placed near the Kudlu Gate to trap the elusive cat.
Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Ravindra Kumar told Deccan Chronicle on Tuesday that a leopard was sighted straying into residential areas near Kudlu Gate and since then the leopard has not been sighted or caught on cameras. However, efforts have been made to get the leopard trapped in cages and two veterinarians have been readied to dart the leopard upon its sighting.
On October 28, CCTV footage showed a leopard movement near the Kudlu Gate and alerted by the leopard in human vicinity, forest officials swung into action and alerted the residents about the presence of a leopard and asked the residents to avoid movements during the night. If needed, they asked the residents to move in groups so as to prevent any attack on them.
The DCF said that there were no reports on any attacks on humans by leopards in the region nor cattle kills for the residents to panic and said that there were many vacant spaces with thick vegetative growth for the leopard to hide. However, combing has been conducted in vacant spaces to drive away the leopard from the human vicinity.
CCTV footage showed the movement of a leopard in MS Dhoni International School, AECS Layout, Cadenza Apartment Ist floor in Kudlu Gate among and neighbouring parts.
However, movement of leopards in Bengaluru South region is not new since the region has links to forest patches and often leopards stray into human vicinity, said a forest official.
