Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Jan 21 (IANS): A leopard attacked an Uttar Pradesh forest officer in a village in Pilibhit out of her motherly instinct.

This is the first attack by a big cat in the past 10 years in the stretch between Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dudhwa tiger reserve, and Hajara area of Pilibhit.

The forest official was pounced upon by the big cat on Monday evening at the Kuthia Gundia village under Hajara police station. He sustained injuries in the leg and was being treated at the Palia community health centre.

The victim, Kishan Lal, is posted at Sampurna Nagar forest range of North Kheri forest division.

Lal and a forest watcher were on their way to the village on a motorcycle when the attack took place.

Lal was on his way to Kuthia Gundia village for inspection after being informed of the presence of the female leopard and its cub in the farmland of one Jagir Singh.

Anil Patel, divisional forest officer of North Kheri forest division, said the leopardess was apparently lurking among the shrubs along the road and attacked Lal to protect its cub. He said some seven leopards are present in the area.

A field forest team has now been deployed at Kuthia Gundia village to monitor the movement of the leopard.