A leopard cub aged around one year fell into a trap laid by the Forest Department at Kapila Theertham on the city outskirts in the early hours of Tuesday. A leopardess eluded the second cage meant for it and escaped into the wild.
After observing a pattern in the mauling of wild boars and stray dogs abutting the hillock, the officials suspected it to be the handiwork of a wandering big cat that could have gone astray. Even eyewitness accounts pointed to the sighting of a leopardess and its cub, which frequently forayed into the human habitation. The department decided to catch the elusive cat duo before it created panic among the crowds that thronged the famed tourist spot for a shower under the cascading water, thanks to the copious rain during the recent monsoon.
A cage was set on Monday night and the unsuspecting little one walked into the trap by 5.50 a.m., while the panicked mother leopard retreated into the forest. “The leopardess must have been training its kid in hunting when the little one strayed. We expect the elder one to trace the same path soon and we will catch it,” K. Raghunath, Forest Range Officer (Sri Venkateswara National Park) told The Hindu .
The incident sent shock waves among denizens as well as visiting pilgrims who have started arriving in large numbers at the famed Shiva temple for the auspicious Kartheeka month in vogue. Apart from the residential quarters of forest officials, the area houses Jungle Book, the department's informative outing spot atop the hillock, which is regularly visited by students and tourists.
The cub is currently housed in the rescue centre of SV Zoological Park.
After the mother is caught, both the animals will be left deep in the wild.
