HYDERABAD: After over three weeks of monitoring and amid growing public concern, forest officials successfully captured a leopard that had been roaming on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The male leopard, estimated to be four to five years old, was trapped at the forest trek park in Moinabad around 8.30 pm on Wednesday. It was taken to Nehru Zoological Park for a medical check-up before being relocated to the Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Nagarkurnool district.
The leopard was first sighted on July 7 near the medicinal plants board office in Chilkur. Forest officials confirmed its presence through pugmarks and later captured it on a camera trap on July 16.
The next day, the death of two dogs added to the confirmation. Over the following weeks, the leopard was seen at several locations, including the Greyhounds police training campus and the Outer Ring Road. CCTV footage from the Golconda artillery centre on July 28 and repeated appearances at the forest trek park helped officials narrow down its movement.
Trap cages were installed at the trek park after obtaining clearance from the Chief Wildlife Warden.
The leopard was eventually captured there, where the environment was calmer compared to populated areas. The rescue was led by Forest Beat Officer Nikita, Deputy Range Officer Ravi Prakash, and Chilkur FRO Laxman.
Speaking to TNIE, FRO Laxman said, “We confirmed it was a leopard based on pugmarks and trail camera images. Initially, cages were set up near Greyhounds but proved ineffective due to human activity.” He stressed that the leopard did not harm any humans during its movement.
A helpline number – 040-23231772 – has been set up for reporting wild animal sightings. Officials urged the public not to approach or chase wild animals, saying that capturing them can take months. Previous rescue operations took up to five months, including one at ICRISAT and another in Chilkur.
Shankaran, Wildlife Specialist told TNIE that in the last two years, Telangana has rescued at least seven leopards from near urban areas. Increasing habitat disturbance is pushing wildlife closer to areas like Manchirevula and Gandipet.
As of 2022, Telangana had 397 leopards, mainly in the Amrabad and Kawal regions. Proper crowd management and public awareness are critical. We advise people to avoid isolated or poorly lit areas at night and immediately alert forest officials if they notice any wild animal, he said.