Rumours of the sighting of a leopard in Mambakkam have left residents worried. Nagarathinam, a resident of Panankattupakkam near Mambakkam, said he saw an animal from a distance of about 20 feet on Sunday night. The alarmed villagers lodged a complaint with forest officials. A similar complaint was lodged with forest officials on Friday by residents of Arungal village near Guduvanchery.
Forest officials conducted combing operations in the area. Sources said that the pug marks on the soil indicated that the animal was certainly not a leopard. However, they have placed cages near Arungal forest area in case there is one. They also set up camera traps in the area to record the movement of the animal. They added that the carnivore must have moved to its natural habitat in Thiruvadisoolam village near Chengalpet.
Last month, forest staff reportedly sighted the animal on the fringes of Vandalur Reserved Forests. A leopard was also reported in Chengalpattu forest division a couple of months ago.
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