Hyderabad, India: After nearly three weeks of stress and numerous sightings, a leopard that had been roaming the surrounding areas of Hyderabad has finally been caught by the Forest Department.
The dangerous animal, which was hard to catch, was trapped in a special cage designed to capture the leopard at Manchirevula Eco Trek Park, located near Gandipet in Rangareddy district.
Residents of Gandipet, Moinabad, and Sheikhpet Mandal had reported repeated sightings of the leopard, which had sparked public alarm.
The Forest Department was tracked and identified by the deployment of eight trap cameras and four cages across the affected areas.
The leopard captured near Hyderabad was first sighted on July 21 inside the Greyhounds training campus and later near the Ibrahim Bagh Military Area close to Golconda Fort.
It was also seen near Chilkur, Narsingi, and the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) facility of DRDO earlier this month.
Upon successful capture, the leopard was directly relocated to Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad, where it will experience medical observation before any decision is made regarding its leopard captured near Hyderabad release into a suitable forest habitat.
This incident marks the second major leopard capture in the region this year, following a similar case in April at the ICRISAT campus in Patancheru.
The leopard captured near Hyderabad has brought relief to local communities and highlighted the importance of wildlife monitoring in urban fringes. Forest officials continue to urge residents to remain vigilant and report any unusual animal sightings.
Read More: Leopard sighting sparks panic in Hyderabad, India
Earlier, the residents of Hyderabad’s historic Golconda region were in fear and terror after the leopard sighting in Hyderabad near Ibrahim Bagh, a military zone located next to the Taramati Baradari road.
CCTV footage recorded the leopard while it was crossing the street, instigating immediate action from local police and forest officials.
According to eyewitnesses, they had seen a leopard moving toward the Musi River, a dense forest that could provide shelter for the animal.