The residents of Pulani village, near Chalakudy, continue to live under the threat of leopard attack as the forest officials didn’t trap the female wild cat and its four cubs, which are on the prowl, yet.
According to Vazhachal DFO Abdul Nazar Kunju, leopards’ pug marks had reportedly been spotted at various locations near human habitations.
Following this, the officials of the department have been constantly combing the area in search of the wild cats and installed two cages, including the one that installed on Thursday,to trap the animal and its cubs.
A male leopard was caught on Tuesday after it fell into an empty well. Later, the officials had rescued and released the animal in the interior of the forest on the same day at Nelliyampathy. The officers then installed a cage near the well expecting that the female leopard will come to the spot in search of its male partner.
Thought the female leopard and its four cubs reached the spot by Tuesday night, they returned soon after sensing unusuality as large number of people gathered in the place. The forest officials said it was not easy to trap the wild cats using cages because of the elusive nature of the animal.
“The fact that the place is a thriving human habitation also delays the work,”the officials said.
The four-year-old male feline reportedly fell into the well on the premises of the residence of Satheeshan of Kattungal on last Sunday night while trying to attack Satheeshan’s sister.