BENGALURU: Residents of Kudlu Gate, Garvebhavipalya, Somasundarapalya and other areas adjacent to Kudlu Gate are scared to step out of their homes, after the leopard has been spotted.
Some of them have changed their early morning routine and have stopped their children from playing out in the evening.
Vijeya Madhu, who works for a company that is located close to Kudlu Gate said, “There are many industries and companies in the area and there are hundreds of workers who work in shifts round the clock. While it is not so common that leopards attack humans for food, just the presence of the big cat is enough to create fear among people. When the leopard suddenly sees large number of people, it might get scared and run amok and jump on people.”
He recalled the leopard capture instance in 2016 in a private school in Varthur, when it was getting away in the traps laid by the forest officials and pounced on people around.
“The forest department should speed up the operation to capture the leopard and safely release it into the wild so that there is no fear among the people,” Madhu added.
Lalithamba, a resident of HSR Layout, Aakruthi Silverline said, “As the areas around Kudlu Gate where the leopard was spotted, has many trees, it might be difficult to track and capture the leopard.”
Team from Mysuru to catch leopard in city
BENGALURU: The forest department has enlisted the help of a special leopard task force from Mysuru to capture the elusive wild leopard.
A police official reported to the forest department late Monday night that he had seen a leopard enter an abandoned under-construction building. The official is part of the police patrol team working with the forest department to capture the leopard.
“We thoroughly combed the ground plus three-floor building and found scat and pug marks that were old,” said Deputy Urban Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Urban, Ravindra Kumar.
Locals and residents circulated messages on social media groups of sightings in Haralur and near MS Dhoni Global School in HSR Layout.
Forest officials used thermal drones to scan the area early Tuesday morning and late evening.
Four range forest officers and their teams have also been stationed for night patrolling.
Staffers on the ground said: “So far, no sightings or signs have been found in the drone footage.”
Subhash Malkhade, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Wildlife, visited the area on Tuesday morning. “CCTV footage of the leopard is of October 28. After that, there has been no sighting. There has been no kill either. It is possible the leopard has gone back to Bannerghatta National Park, around 8km away. But if it is still in the urban landscape, it needs to be captured. The leopard task force from Mysuru has also been requisitioned."
"A dedicated veterinary ambulance has been stationed, in case of emergency,” he told TNIE.
Malkhade said leopards adapt to urban surroundings very easily and have been around for decades.
There have been no instances of attacks on humans, unless provoked or hungry. But since this leopard was seen near the lift of an apartment complex, any untoward incident could have taken place out of fear and panic, he said.
In the meantime, apartment associations in Kudlu, AECS Layout, Haralur, HSR Layout and surrounding areas have advised all dwellers to stay indoors at night.
“The fear has started to create panic. Milk and food delivery early morning and at night has reduced. Many delivery partners are cancelling orders. Shops on main roads and in bylanes are preferring to open late in the morning and closing early in the evenings,” said Rekha Bheemappa, a resident.
Forest officials have expressed worry over rising urbanisation and shrinking green patches which is leading to a rise in man-leopard conflict.
In recent times, leopard sightings have been reported from Rail Wheel Factory in Yelahanka, Whitefield, Turahalli, Begur and Kanakapura.
Keep kids at home, says Minister Khandre
Forest, Environment and Ecology Minister Eshwar Khandre on Tuesday asked parents not to allow their children to go out alone to play in areas where the leopard was sighted.
He also asked citizens to take all precautionary measures and not to venture out alone at night.
Khandre told the media that the forest department was using modern equipment and taking all measures to capture the leopard, and for the first time, thermal camera-based drones were being used in Bengaluru to capture the animal.