Daijworld Media Network - Kasargod

Kasargod, Mar 26: Forest officials have successfully captured a second leopard in Kolathur village, Bedadka gram panchayat, putting an end to a year-long threat to pets and stray animals. The male leopard, estimated to be around five years old, was caught early Wednesday, March 26, in a cage trap set near Niduvot in Perladukkam ward.

This comes a month after a female leopard was captured at the same location using a dog as bait on February 24. Officials believe the two may have been a mating pair.

According to local residents, the trap was placed near a large cave that could accommodate about 100 people. "Villagers had seen pugmarks in the area, prompting forest officials to position the cage near the cave," he said.

District forest officer K Ashraf confirmed that pugmarks in the area indicated the presence of two leopards. "With both now captured, the fear that had gripped Kolathur village for months can be put to rest," he said.

The first capture in February eased some concerns among villagers, who had been alarmed by frequent attacks on dogs. However, after signs of another leopard surfaced, officials placed a second trap at the same spot. Gopalakrishnan noted that for a month, the bait dog was carefully monitored and fed daily. Camera traps recorded the male leopard approaching the cage but hesitating to enter.

Over the past few weeks, villagers reported several stray dogs disappearing, reinforcing suspicions of another predator. Finally, early Wednesday morning, the male leopard entered the trap, and the cage door snapped shut. The bait dog, secured in a separate compartment, was unharmed.

Forest officials reached Niduvot by 7.30 am to find the leopard safely trapped. Unlike the previous capture, which drew nearly 2,000 onlookers, this time the operation was kept low-key. Residents only became aware once officials transported the leopard away in a truck.

The female leopard had been relocated to the Bantaje Reserve Forest on the Kerala-Karnataka border near Belloor gram panchayat. However, this decision faced opposition from BJP panchayat president Sreedhara M, who accused the Forest Department of risking the safety of nearby residents. In response, officials installed camera traps along the Bantaje forest border to monitor any movement.