Udupi, 10 Jul 2016: A leopard among two that was preying on cows, calf, pet dogs and chicken during the nights since 3 months was trapped in a cage set by the forest department in the neighbourhood of Pernankila, near Moodubelle, here on Sunday July 11 morning.
In order to trap the leopards that were a nightmare to the locals, the foresters placed a cage with a pet dog inside nearby the house of a certain Shakuntala, lives near Marathi Samaj Mandir, Pernankila, near here a week ago.
The hungry leopard in the torrential rains was drawn into the cage because of the scent of dog and was trapped once inside on Sunday at about 12.30am. The neighbors informed the news to the forest officers who were successful in sealing the cage.
The leopard is about 2 to 3 years age and was treated at the instructions of Udupi divisional forest officer H Ramesh. Meanwhile, Hiriyadka sub-division forest officer G Naresh said, ‘It will be handed over to Pilikula wildlife sanctuary in Mangaluru or further actions will be taken to release the same elsewhere in woods with the instructions of higher officers.’
The forest guard Manohar K, TP member Laxminarayana Prabhu, Kodibettu gram panchayat vice president Ganesh Shetty and locals assisted in this operation.
The locals urged the forest department to trap another leopard that is illusive in the neighborhood.