Leopardess that terrorised hamlets trapped

PALGHAR: A leopardess, which terrorised Amgaon, Dongri, Zari and other villages in Talasari in Palghar district and had also attacked two tribals in a span of a

PALGHAR: A leopardess, which terrorised Amgaon, Dongri, Zari and other villages in Talasari in Palghar district and had also attacked two tribals in a span of a fortnight, was trapped by the forest department of Dahanu using a puppy as bait on late Tuesday noon.

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The leopardess had also devoured a sizeable number of fowl, goats and other domesticated animals of farmers.

Nanasaheb Ladkat, deputy conservator of forest, Dahanu, confirmed the trapping. “We used a puppy in the cage and the leopardess walked into the trap,” he said.

The leopardess, a fully grown adult, is nine years old and undergoing treatment at a government vet hospital.

“We will not release her back into the forest and are waiting for the doctor’s opinion,” said Ladkat. “She is dangerous and has already attacked a few, but we will not shoot her as we plan to keep her in a zoo.”

The forest department had installed four camera traps and two cages to capture the animal, said Ladkat. “The leopardess was accompanied by her cub and we are searching for it,” he said.