Vijayawada, Sep 26 (IANS): Forest officials in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district have deployed drone cameras to trace the movements of a leopard, whose presence near flower nurseries in Kadiyam for the last few days has triggered panic among villagers.

East Godavari in-charge District Forest Officer S. Bharani said the forest personnel have found pug marks of the leopard, believed to be aged 3-4 years.

She said nursery farmers along the banks of the Godavari River were being educated on how to protect themselves from possible attack by the leopard.

The forest officials believe the leopard may moved towards Mandapeta and Alamuru in the adjoining Dr B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.

The foresters were setting up CCTV cameras, and trap cages and kept tranquilisers ready.

Meanwhile, forest officials in Konaseema district said they were creating awareness among people in Edida and Mernipadu villages on precautions to be taken if the leopard enters the villages. Announcements were being made over the public address system.

It is believed that the leopard reached Kadiyam nurseries after crossing a railway track and a stream in search of a new habitat, given the route it has taken along the banks of the river since September 6.

The leopard, a male, was first sighted near the Diwancheruvu West Reserve Forest (DWRF) on the outskirts of Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry) city.

According to forest officials, it spent 18 days in the DWRF before it moved towards the nurseries of Kadiyam. So far, the leopard has not resorted to any cattle kill throughout its journey of about 30 kilometres.

The forest officials have been sharing the inputs and signs left behind by the leopard with the experts of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun. They are also receiving input from Pune-based leading experts in the rescue of big cats.

The officials engaged in the operation were taking all precautions as the leopard is said to be showing signs of aggressiveness in its behaviour.