Indore: Big cat in Residency area camera was leopard, says WII

Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has confirmed that the 'big cat' seen in CCTV footage in Residency area of Indore on December 2 is a leopard.

Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has confirmed that 'the big cat' seen in CCTV footage in the Residency area on December 2 is, indeed, a leopard.

The leopard, first seen in the Residency area on December 2, was captured by cameras installed at an Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) official's residence.

"The WII has confirmed that the animal in the footage is a leopard on the basis of the tail and the bands on the tail," said DFO, Indore, AK Joshi.

When neither the leopard nor any pug marks were found after the initial sighting, there was speculation that the animal may not be a leopard at all, but a wild cat or some other feline.

The guesswork prompted the forest department to send the CCTV footage to WII for definitive information about the animal seen in the footage. "We received the report Monday," said Joshi, although he didn't provide any other details.

Shortly after the leopard was sighted and as it appeared to have vanished into thin air, forest department officials said the animal probably escaped from Indore zoo and it couldn't be found as it had returned to its former home.