The forest officials have confirmed that a single leopard has been roaming in the Tirumala forest, saying that the same animal was captured in as many as 50 camera traps.
After the death of a child in a leopard attack early this month, the Forest Department installed 300 camera traps across the Tirumala forest. Around 100 people were assigned the task of installing the camera traps after pilgrims sighted leopards and sloth bears while trekking to the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirumala.
“The Forest Department, with the support of the forest and vigilance wings of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), is implementing a massive plan to identify the leopards roaming in the forest and driving them away from the trekking routes leading to the Lord Venkateswara temple,” Chief Conservator of Forest (Tirupati Wildlife Management Circle) Nageswara Rao told the media on August 23 (Wednesday).
Three leopards have been caught, two of them very recently after the death of the girl. “The forensic report of the samples collected after the death of the girl is expected in a fortnight. Based on it, we will ascertain which of the two leopards had attacked the girl and devise our wildlife management strategy accordingly,” he added.
Mr. Nageswara Rao sought the cooperation of the people, especially the devotees, for the strict implementation of the measures taken by the Forest Department in the larger interest of people.
District Forest Officer Satish Reddy and TTD Deputy Conservator of Forest A. Srinivas were also present.
