Tamil Nadu: Leopard that killed 2 taken to Arignar Anna Zoological Park
The leopard mauled a three-year-old child to death at Elmanna village on January 6 while she was returning home in the Bitherkad Forest Range.
The leopard was then taken to a cage and after initial examination, it was moved to the rescue centre in Vandalur. (Express Photo) A four-year-old male leopard that recently killed two people in Pandalur in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district was taken to the rescue centre at Arignar Anna Zoological Park near Vandalur on Monday.
The leopard mauled a three-year-old child to death at Elmanna village on January 6 while she was returning home in the Bitherkad Forest Range.
The deceased has been identified as S Nansi, daughter of migrant labourer Shivsankar, who hails from Jharkhand. The leopard had attacked five people in less than two weeks, among whom a woman P Saritha, 29, had succumbed to her injuries on December 29.
On Sunday, Chief Minister M K Stalin conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased and announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each for the two families.
Enraged over the repeated incidents of the animal attack, the residents and traders association of the village resorted to a road blockade in Gudalur-Pandalur on Sunday.
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: After a leopard kills a three-year-old child, the traders association staged a protest and called for a one-day bandh in Gudalur in Nilgiris district, demanding the forest dept to catch the big cat. (6.1) pic.twitter.com/oaIEZKiGsi
— ANI (@ANI) January 6, 2024
After having failed to capture the animal on Saturday, the officials tranquilized the leopard successfully the next day. The leopard was then taken to a cage and after initial examination, it was moved to the rescue centre in Vandalur.
The Leopard which attacked five people and killed two including a child, and was captured by the officials in the Gudalur division, has now reached the rescue centre at Vandalur zoo. It will be under observation as per the officials. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/JVyoVIljro
— Janardhan Koushik (@koushiktweets) January 8, 2024
Speaking to Indianexpress.com, a senior official of the Tamil Nadu forest department said the animal cannot be released back into the dense forest.
“The behaviour pattern varies from one animal to another. This one can’t be let back into the wild and will be in our rescue centre. The veterinarians are looking at the condition of the animal, they suspect an injury on its leg, and appropriate treatment will be provided,” he said.
The official then said that they are looking at how human-animal conflicts can be reduced and added that not all animals that are closer to human habitation exhibit such behaviour.
Share
