Leopard caught inside ICRISAT campus, another on the prowl?

Hyderabad: A male leopard was trapped by the Telangana Forest department on the ICRISAT campus, at Patancheru, on city outskirts, early on Thursday. It was caught by Sangareddy DFO Sridhar and his team in a cage. Later, the big cat was moved to the Hyderabad Zoo for medical examination. Officials confirmed that the captured leopard is a healthy.

It is approximately five-six years old. The zoo curator J Vasantha said that the rescued leopard was kept in the quarantine block for observation under the supervision of a veterinary team headed by Dr MA Hakeem. The doctors’ preliminary report said the leopard’s health was good; it was fit for release into the wild. The operation was conducted with precision to ensure safety of both the animal and the residents near the ICRISAT research facility in Sangareddy district.

While the leopard has been captured, authorities suspect that another may still be on the ICRISAT premises. Efforts are on with the Forest teams monitoring the area to prevent any potential threats to the campus and surrounding neighbourhoods.