Tirupati: After weeks of anxiety among students and faculty, forest officials finally captured a leopard that had been frequently spotted around university campuses in Tirupati. The animal was trapped late on Sunday, bringing much-needed relief to the communities of Sri Venkateswara University (SVU), SV Vedic University, and SV Veterinary University, which had been on high alert since the sightings began.

The capture followed a month-long operation in which four trap cages were placed at strategic locations, including the SVU surroundings, Vedic University premises, and the busy Alipiri–Zoo Park road. Confirming the development, Forest Range Officer B Sudarshan Reddy said a male leopard was caught and will be shifted deep into the forest as per the guidelines of the Nation-al Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Forest Department protocols.

However, wildlife experts warned that the issue may not be fully resolved. “We cannot assume this is the only leopard in the area,” an official noted, pointing to repeated sightings along the Alipiri–Zoo Park stretch, especially during night hours. Leopards are believed to be straying towards human settlements in search of food, mainly preying on stray dogs that thrive around hostel waste and roadside garbage.

Officials observed that while leopards generally avoid human contact, the abundance of unat-tended food waste in urban pockets is influencing their movements. Leftovers from roadside eateries and poor waste management have become easy sources of food, drawing wild ani-mals closer to residential and institutional zones.

The concern was also taken up by Municipal Corporation Commissioner N Mourya, who re-cently inspected the Alipiri–Zoo Park road after multiple leopard-related incidents. The review stressed the need for regular cleanliness drives and proper garbage disposal along the route, which is not only a busy stretch for pilgrims but also the main approach to the Sri Venkateswa-ra Zoological Park.

Even as the captured leopard is set to be released back into the wilderness, forest officials said surveillance will continue in and around Tirupati’s university areas to ensure public safety and reduce the risk of further human–wildlife encounters.