Ooty: The wounded female panther which was captured from the house a farmer at Pattavayal village near Gudalur in Nilgiris border on February 4, is likely to be shifted to the Vandalur Zoological Park near Chennai.
It may be recalled that this panther was found inside the house of one Rayan, a farmer, when he was out of the village with his family.
Though the foresters trapped it, it could not be released into the jungles as planned, as the wounds found in its hind legs and hip forced the foresters to shift this almost one-year-old panther to a nearby forest range office premises, at Bitherkad.
Though the veterinary team had been treating this captive panther all these days there, it appears, it has not responded to treatment as expected. Now, the foresters have decided to shift it to Vandalur.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore Circle, Deepak Srivastava, said that the panther, which is now housed inside a small cage, aggravating the condition of the wounds by bumping against the iron rods in the cage. So, the healing gets delayed. So, it was decided to shift it to Vandalur Zoological Park where more space and hygienic environment is available.
It is estimated that it would require veterinary attention for at least three more weeks.
The forest department in Gudalur is waiting for nod from higher ups in Chennai to shift the animal to Vandalur soon, he added.
