Hyderabad: Leopard seen in two regions

Hyderabad: Locals in two different places in Kadthal mandal in Ranga Reddy district, 50 km from the city, reported sighting a leopard.

On Friday night, the leopard attacked a calf and goat at Cerikonda near Mudwin and Gangumalla thanda near Kadthal reserve forest.

The officials found the pug marks near the place where the carcass of the animal lay.

The leopard had eaten a small portion of the flesh. Amangal forest divisional officer M. Janakiram said, “The leopard attacked its prey on Friday night. The forest official got to know on Saturday morning. The leopard has been shifting location in the four reserve forest blocks.”

The four reserve forest blocks comprise 6,000 hectares in Kadthal, Yacharam, Mudhivennu reserve forests on way to Srisailam from Hyderabad.

“For the last two-and a-half months the leopards have been roaming in the reserve forest area. We are trying our best to trap the leopard,” Mr Janakiram said.

He added, “Two wildlife trappers from Achampet were called to trap the leopard but in vain. The leopards frequently come close to villages in search of water or food. On the way they attack small animals like goats and cattle.”

He said forest officials collected the pug marks of the animal on Saturday. There have been some 15 attacks on cattle in the past two and half months.

Till now forest officials have given compensation in eight cases. Recently a change in strategy by forest officials helped them trace the leopard that has been creating terror on the city’s outskirts.

Said a forest official, “On March 1, images of the leopard captured in camera showed the animal to be around five years old and weighing around 65-70 kg, the sign of a well-fed animal.”

“The normal weight of a leopard is 55-60 kg. The pictures showed that it had eaten 10-15 kg of flesh from the calf's carcass and that it had returned for the feed. We have installed three trap cages with bait. But it is a very intelligent leopard and is evading the traps,” they said.