Leopardess caged in Kheri after series of livestock kills

Pilibhit: An adult leopardess suspected of killing over half a dozen livestock was successfully trapped in Kheri district’s Murtiyan village early Sunday morning, marking the fourth leopard capture in the region within a month.The leopardess, estimated to be between three and four years old, was lured into a cage using a live goat as bait in North Nighasan forest range. According to forest range officer Bhupendra Singh, a medical examination conducted by Dudhwa Tiger Reserve veterinarian Dr Daya Shankar confirmed that the animal is healthy, with no visible injuries or deformities.The capture comes amid a severe spike in human-wildlife conflict in the rural belt of North Kheri forest division, where big cat attacks have claimed six human lives since March 25, 2026.

The victims include three children under the age of 11 and a 32-year-old woman killed by leopards, alongside a 60-year-old farmer and a 50-year-old woman killed in separate tiger attacks.While the previous three leopards captured between May 22 and June 9 were relocated to Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary in Mirzapur district, a decision on the relocation of this leopardess remains pending.UP chief wildlife warden Anuradha Vemuri told TOI that authorities are currently reviewing leopard densities across various forest regions before finalising a site. Wildlife veterinarian Dr Utkarsh Shukla cautioned against immediate long-distance transport due to prevailing high temperatures, advising that the feline be kept in calm conditions for a few days to minimize stress before her release into the wild.