Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Oct 5: After the sighting of a leopard in Maroli Jayanagar area within the city corporation limits on the evening of Sunday October 3, the animal made an appearance on Monday October 4 in the Kankanady Ballalgudde area.
When a resident of Jayanagar 4th cross, Pratibha Sridhar Shetty Pulincha was going for a walk along with her children at about 6.30 pm on Sunday, her younger daughter, Nidhi Shetty, a ninth standard student, was following her from some distance. At that time, a leopard crossed the road. She could not properly identify the animal but clicked the picture. Nidhi saw the leopard just from a distance of ten feet, captured its movement. Her mother and younger brother were about 50 feet away. After reaching home, she checked the video and found that it was a leopard.
Forest department officials at Maroli
The forest officials were informed immediately, but they could not undertake any operation immediately as it was dark.
The leopard made an appearance again at 12 pm on Monday in the Kankanady Ballalgudde area. The locals immediately contacted corporator Keshav Maroli, who in turn, got in touch with forest officials. Mangaluru range forest officer, Prashanth Pai, led a team which searched for the animals. During the verification in Kankanady Kanapadavu, Martha Compound, Ballalagudde etc, the officials found paw marks of the animal in four places. They identified the marks as that of a leopard. Prashanth Pai said that the leopard was found at two spots and search was conducted till Monday evening. He said that right from Tuesday morning, services of veterinarian will be summoned and a detailed drive with the involvement of staff would be conducted. He however said that Maroli, Jayanagar, Kankanady etc are places where many residential areas and commercial complexes are located. He said this poses a challenge for the officials if the leopard runs amok during the operation, causing an accident or creating together problems.
Prashanth Pai said that there were four leopards near the airport, out of which one died recently. Now there are three leopards which keep hunting chicken, cows, dogs etc in the area. He said that the leopards climb down from the Western Ghats via Kudremukh and Moodbidri. He said that a leopard had been sighted a week back in Pacchanady area.
It may be recalled that a leopard was found in 2005 at Light House Hill road, which was trapped by the forest officials after a four-hour operation. In May 2020, two Gaurs were seen in Mannagudda and Kulur surroundings. One of them had died later.
Corporator Keshav Maroli, observed that over 25 street dogs which were earlier found in Jayanagar area have gone missing and suspected that this leopard would have eaten them up.