THENI: A three-year-old leopard, which was roaming around Sri Kailasanathar Temple area in Periyakulam block, was trapped by a special team of forest officials in the early hours of Sunday. Later it was released into Periyar Tiger Reserve sanctuary area at Vannathiparai near Cumbum.
Acting on information by local people about frequent movement of leopard near the temple area, forest officials, after meticulous surveillance, confirmed nocturnal movement of the wild animal in this area.
Later, a plan was chalked out to trap the wild animal after consulting with experts in tiger reserve area in Anamalai. Capture operation began on Saturday evening. Two cages - one from Periyar Tiger Reserve sanctuary in Thekkadi and another one from Anamalai Tiger Reserve Sanctuary in Pollachi – were brought to Sri Kailasanathar temple area in Periyakulam.
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A team of experts set one cage on giri vala padhai (road around the temple) and another one on the temple campus on Saturday night. Meat was placed inside these cages. Trap zones were under constant surveillance, said forest officials.
In the early morning, they found a leopard inside the cage kept on giri vala padhai (road around hill temple).
Veterinary doctors and specialists from Anamalai administered tranquilisers to the animal. After checking health condition, the animal was transported in a mobile cage to Cumbum. Later, the forest officials opened the cage at Vannathiparai forest area and allowed the leopard to go in to PTR forests.
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A special team of forest officials from Anamalai Tiger Reserve too was engaged in trapping the wild animal. The leopard was roaming near the villages for the past one 10 days.