A leopard that had strayed into the Eucalyptus plantations of Athirapally on Sunday night was caught in a trap set up by the forest officials.
The leopard, a male aged about six years, was reportedly first spotted near the Edamalayar canal by a local when it had killed his cattle. On informed about the presence of the animal, forest officials from the Kalady range of the Malayatoor forest division rushed to the area.
A forest official said that the locals, some of whom had claimed sighting the animal, were in panic. The pug parks at the spot where the beast was seen were confirmed to be those of a leopard. Thereafter, a trap was laid and the leopard got trapped in it within the next few hours.
The official said plantation workers used their own cattle as bait to attract the leopard into the area.
The animal was examined by a veterinarian after it was shifted to the animal rescue centre at Kodanad. The plan is to release it into the Parambikulam tiger reserve in the next couple of days.
Ends.
