BENGALURU: In two days, Karnataka forest officials and Leopard Task Force captured two leopards -- a male and female, aged around 7 years each. Now, the staffers are looking to capture another leopard from the same area.
The department is capturing the leopards after a woman aged around 53 years old, a resident of Kambala Gollarahalli village, near Shivagange deemed forest, located on the outskirts of Bengaluru, near Nelamanagala, was killed by a leopard on November 17.
A senior forest officialsaid, “We have captured two and will capture another in the coming days. Initial reports procured from foot patrolling, camera trap images and thermal drones showed three leopards. After they are captured, a DNA analysis will be done and the killer animal will stay in the rescue centre, while the others will be released into the wild.”
However, experts are not convinced with the approach adopted by the department. They questioned the need to capture all and then check which animal killed a human. Officials asked experts to suggest the best solutions available.
“Cages with baits were kept at strategic locations. On November 25, a male walked into the cage and on November 26, a female walked into another cage. Both are in their prime, healthy with no injuries. Minimal human imprinting is being done on the animals,” the official said.
A total of 20 camera traps have been placed in and around Shivagange. For the patrolling and capture operation, the department has deployed 20 staffers along with 35 members from the Leopard Task Force. Loudspeakers and other mechanisms are also being used to create awareness.