Staff REPORTER
ITANAGAR, Jun 24: An adult male leopard, one of the three big cats, which reportedly attacked atleast five persons and killed about a dozen cattle in a remote village in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, was trapped, a senior officer said on Friday.
Following the recent incidents, the people of Kherem Kachari village under Bordumsa circle of Changlang district were living in constant fear of leopard attacks for the past many days.
“The Namdapha National Park authority, Miao in coordination with Jairampur Forest Division and a team of experts from Assam’s Dibru-Saikhowa National Park finally managed to capture the adult male leopard from the tea garden area of Kherem-Kachari village under Bordumsa sub-division of Changlang district on Thursday night,” Bordumsa ADC Oling Lego said.
The ADC said, the rescue teams have been on the site since Wednesday, after a man was reportedly attacked in the morning while he was on his way to work. On earlier occasions also, many people were attacked and close to 10 livestock taken away by the leopards.
Lego informed that the captured leopard had been taken to Miao by the forest personnel. “It was sent to DFO (Wildlife), Miao for rehabilitation today morning. The team there will look for a suitable place to release the animal,” he added.
The ADC further informed that the rescue operation will be continued to find the remaining female leopard and a cub as claimed by the villagers. “The cage will be brought back after dropping the captured animal at Miao.
“Capturing them is not only about saving the lives of the people or the domestic animals but the animal itself is more at risk. The natural habitat of the animals has been destroyed by the humans. Breakdown of its food chain had prompted the animal to stray into human habitations,” he said.