Officials lay trap for leopard in Hassan

The leopard cub caught last week is kept in a cage in Kalluguduganahalli in Hassan taluk.

Forest Department officers have continued their efforts to capture a leopard, which killed a boy at Naganahalli recently.

The leopard’s cub was caught on Monday and has been kept in a cage in the village. The officers are expecting the man-eater will return to the spot in search of its cub.

The seven-year-old boy was killed by the leopard on February 7 at Naganahalli, prompting residents of the village to stage a protest demanding that the department capture the wild cat. The officers set a trap. A female leopard cub fell into the trap on February 10. Although the leopard came close to the cage several times, attempts by the staff to tranquilise it failed. M.L. Manjunath, Assistant Conservator of Forests of Hassan, told

The Hindu that the cub had been kept in the village as there were greater chances of the leopard returning in search of it. “We attempted to capture it when it came near the cage, but could not succeed,” he said.

The leopard cub is being taken care of by the staff with the assistance of veterinarians. “We are providing milk for the cub. Once we capture the leopard, we plan to shift the cub to a zoo,” Mr. Manjunath said.