Karnataka orders to set up leopard task force for Bengaluru at the earliest

Minister Eshwar Khandre gave the directions in the wake of repeated instances of leopards being spotted in parts of the city.

The task force will help capture leopards and release them back to the wild or shift them to rehabilitation centres, Khandre said. (File Photo)

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Karnataka Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre Monday issued directions to constitute a leopard task force for Bengaluru at the earliest in the wake of repeated instances of the wild animal being spotted in parts of the city.

According to the minister, the leopards were seen near towns, especially near residential areas on the outskirts of Bengaluru, due to rainfall deficiency as food was scarce in the forest.

The task force will help capture leopards and release them back to the wild or shift them to rehabilitation centres, Khandre said.

The announcement came in the wake of a second leopard being spotted on the outskirts of the city near Chikka Togur. On November 1, the forest department officials had put down a leopard, while attempting to capture it. The leopard had injured three people before that.

He also said that two additional elephant task forces have been set up at Bannerghatta in Bengaluru and Ramanagar. The department will also constitute a rapid task force for every three districts that have a large population of bears and leopards, the minister said.

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