Leopard seeks shelter in warehouse in Coimbatore

Forest Dept officials have set up cages and nets to try and capture the animal

Two cages were placed at the two openings of the building. Other gaps were covered with nets.

The Forest Department is taking efforts to capture a leopard that sought shelter in an unused warehouse at B.K. Pudur in Coimbatore on Monday.

Forest Department officials said that the leopard was sighted in the warehouse in Sathya Nagar, B.K. Pudur, around 10 km away from Coimbatore city.

Residents in the locality said that a guest worker spotted the leopard entering the warehouse, when he entered it to attend to nature’s call. The worker alerted others, and the Forest Department was informed about the presence of the carnivore.

Staff from Madukarai forest range rushed to the spot and set up cages and nets to capture the animal. Two cages were placed at the two openings of the building. Other gaps were covered with nets.District Forest Officer T.K. Ashok Kumar is camping at the place.

Sources said that Forest Veterinary Officer A. Sukumar was called in to tranquilise the carnivore if required.

Residents of Sugunapuram, another neighborhood, had recently sighted a leopard and a cage was placed to capture the animal. B.K. Pudur and Sugunapuram are close to the reserve forest areas of Madukkarai forest range of Coimbatore Forest Division.