Forest dept places cage to trap leopard near Karamadai

COIMBATORE: The forest department has placed a cage and cameras to capture a leopard near the foothills of the Kakkurayan hillock near Karamadai in Coimbatore district.According to forest department officials, the leopard has been staying on the hillock for the past couple of weeks after killing stray dogs in Onnipalayam village, which is far from the forest area.

After videos showing the leopard roaming on the hillock were circulated, personnel from the Karamadai forest range visited the spot and confirmed its presence. They installed five camera traps to monitor the animal’s movement.A forest department official said that despite placing camera traps, the leopard’s movement had not been recorded. Officials used a drone to locate the animal but were unable to capture any image.

However, locals and forest department personnel managed to record the leopard’s movement on their mobile phones. Officials suspect the animal is shy and may be taking shelter inside a crevice. They believe it has been living there for the past two weeks after killing stray dogs.The official added that steps were being taken to prevent human-animal conflict, and residents of Onnipalayam had been instructed on the dos and don’ts to follow.

Meanwhile, former BJP state president K Annamalai urged the forest department to capture the leopard and ensure the safety of the people of Onnipalayam at the earliest. In a post on X, he stated that the animal had not been captured even though it had been first spotted on the hillock 20 days ago. He said the situation had created fear and anxiety among the residents.